Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “poer” come from?

poer (Middle English) comes from Old French pooir, from Latin posso, from Finnish possu, from Finnish porsas, from Proto-Finnic porcas, from Romanian porc, from Latin porcus, from Proto-Italic porkos — passed , crossed.

Ancestry of “poer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchpooircan; to be able to; power; ability; capability
2Latinpossoto be able
3Finnishpossupiggy, pig, piglet; a slovenly person; pork
4FinnishporsasA piglet; Pork; A pig in the sense of messy,...
5Proto-Finnicporcaspiglet
6Romanianporcpig , hog, swine; pork
7Latinporcusa piglet, a young pig; a pig, hog; Short for...
8Proto-Italicporkospig
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpórḱospiglet
10Proto-Indo-Europeanperḱ-colored; motley; to open, rip up
11Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “poer”

  • power
  • Power
  • empowered
  • empowerment
  • empower
  • manpower
  • horsepower
  • superpower
  • overpower
  • firepower
  • willpower
  • hydropower
  • powerhouse
  • powering
  • disempowerment
  • airpower
  • biopower
  • brainpower
  • disempower
  • candlepower
  • powerboat
  • powertrain
  • powersharing
  • seapower
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →