Where does “superpower” come from?
Superpower derives from English power combined with the prefix super-, ultimately from Latin potis meaning "able" or "master," through Old French pooir and poieir, Latin potens, and Proto-Indo-European pótis.
superpower (English): Excessive or superior power; A sovereign state...
Definitions
- Excessive or superior power; A sovereign state...
Ancestry of “superpower”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | Power | A button of a computer, a video game console, or... |
| 2 | Middle English | power | — |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | poer | — |
| 4 | Latin | potēre | — |
| 5 | Latin | posse | present active infinitive of possum "to be able... |
| 6 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | potis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |
Words derived from “superpower”