Where does “subpotent” come from?
subpotent (English) comes from English sub, from English substitute, from Middle English substituten, from Latin substitutus, from Latin substituo, from Latin statuo, from Latin stātus, from Latin stō.
subpotent (English): Less than potent; not potent enough
Definitions
- Less than potent; not potent enough
Ancestry of “subpotent”, step by step
subpotent traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English sub
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | sub | A submarine; A submarine sandwich: a sandwich... |
| 2 | English | substitute | To use in place of something else, with the same... |
| 3 | Middle English | substituten | — |
| 4 | Latin | substitutus | substituted |
| 5 | Latin | substituo | I place next to, under, or instead of; I... |
| 6 | Latin | statuo | I set up, station; I establish, determine, fix; I... |
| 7 | Latin | stātus | fixed, set, having been set |
| 8 | Latin | stō | to stand |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | staēō | stand |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | sth₂éh₁yeti | to stand |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | *steh₂- | — |
via English potent
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | potent | Possessing strength; Powerfully effective; Having... |
| 2 | Middle English | potent | staff, crutch |
| 3 | Latin | potēns | being able (to), able; potent, mighty, strong, powerful |
| 4 | Latin | posse | present active infinitive of possum "to be able... |
| 5 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | potis | master, in control of |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |