Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “possessen” come from?

possessen (Middle English) comes from Middle French possesser, from Old French possesser, from Latin possessus, from Latin possideō, from Latin potis, from Proto-Italic potis, from Proto-Indo-European pótis, from Proto-Indo-European ph₃tis — to drink.

Ancestry of “possessen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchpossesserto possess
2Old Frenchpossesserto possess
3Latinpossessuspossessed; seized
4Latinpossideō—
5Latinpotisable, capable, possible
6Proto-Italicpotis—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpótismaster, ruler; husband
8Proto-Indo-Europeanph₃tis—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₃-to drink

Words derived from “possessen”

  • possess
  • possessing
  • possessor
  • repossess
  • possesseth
  • possessee
  • prepossess
  • possessest
  • possessorship
  • possessable
  • possesst
  • repossessor
  • unpossessable
  • nonpossessing
  • unpossessing
  • possessingly
  • nonpossessor
  • possessoress
  • unpossess
  • posedi
  • posedaĵo
  • desposedigar
  • posedar
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₃- →