Where does “potencial” come from?
potencial (Spanish) comes from Late Latin potentialis, from Dutch potentiaal, from German potenzial, from Latin potentialis, from Latin Potentia, from Latin potēns, from Latin posse, from Latin potis — to drink.
potencial (Spanish): potential; conditional tense
Definitions
- potential; conditional tense
Ancestry of “potencial”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | potentialis | force, power |
| 2 | Dutch | potentiaal | — |
| 3 | German | potenzial | potential |
| 4 | Latin | potentialis | force, power |
| 5 | Latin | Potentia | situated in the valley of the Casuentus, now Potenza |
| 6 | Latin | potēns | being able (to), able; potent, mighty, strong, powerful |
| 7 | Latin | posse | present active infinitive of possum "to be able... |
| 8 | Latin | potis | able, capable, possible |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | potis | master, in control of |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pótis | master, ruler; husband |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ph₃tis | — |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | peh₃- | to drink |