Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “potence” come from?

potence (French) comes from Latin Potentia, from Latin potēns, from Latin posse, from Latin potis, from Proto-Italic potis, from Proto-Indo-European pótis, from Proto-Indo-European ph₃tis, from Proto-Indo-European peh₃- — to drink.

potence (French): post and braces; gallows, gibbet; stem

Definitions

  1. post and braces; gallows, gibbet; stem

Ancestry of “potence”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinPotentia—
2Latinpotēns—
3Latinpossepresent active infinitive of possum  "to be able...
4Latinpotisable, capable, possible
5Proto-Italicpotis—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpótismaster, ruler; husband
7Proto-Indo-Europeanph₃tis—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₃-to drink

Words derived from “potence”

  • multipotence
  • équipotence
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₃- →