Where does “unprepossessingly” come from?
unprepossessingly (English) comes from English unprepossessing, from English prepossessing, from English prepossess, from English possess, from Middle English possessen, from Middle French possesser, from Old French possesser, from Latin possessus — to drink.
unprepossessingly (English): In an unprepossessing way
Definitions
- In an unprepossessing way
Ancestry of “unprepossessingly”, step by step
unprepossessingly traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English unprepossessing
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | unprepossessing | Unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary;... |
| 2 | English | prepossessing | Tending to invite favor; attracting confidence,... |
| 3 | English | prepossess | To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous... |
| 4 | English | possess | To have; to have ownership of; To take control of... |
| 5 | Middle English | possessen | — |
| 6 | Middle French | possesser | to possess |
| 7 | Old French | possesser | to possess |
| 8 | Latin | possessus | possessed; seized |
| 9 | Latin | possideō | to have, hold, own, possess |
| 10 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 11 | Proto-Italic | potis | master, in control of |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |