Etymology Explorer › Italian

Where does “impotenza” come from?

impotenza (Italian) comes from Latin impotentia, from Latin impotēns, from Latin potēns, from Latin posse, from Latin potis, from Proto-Italic potis, from Proto-Indo-European pótis, from Proto-Indo-European ph₃tis — to drink.

impotenza (Italian): helplessness, powerlessness, impotence,...

Definitions

  1. helplessness, powerlessness, impotence,...

Ancestry of “impotenza”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinimpotentiapoverty; inability; violence
2Latinimpotēns—
3Latinpotēns—
4Latinpossepresent active infinitive of possum  "to be able...
5Latinpotisable, capable, possible
6Proto-Italicpotis—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpótismaster, ruler; husband
8Proto-Indo-Europeanph₃tis—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₃-to drink
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₃- →