Etymology Map
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Possess

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means to own or have

Where does the word "possess" come from? It comes from Latin possidere, passing through Old French before entering English (1400s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
possidere
Latin · ancient
"to own"
'potis', able, plus 'sedere', to sit: to sit as master
2
Stage 2 of 3
possesser
Old French · medieval
"to own"
a legal term
3
Stage 3 of 3
possess
English · 1400s
"to own"
'possessed' by spirits dates from the 1500s
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Read the full story

Possess’s story begins in Latin: possidere meant “to own.” 'potis', able, plus 'sedere', to sit: to sit as master. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as possesser. A legal term. It reached English by 1400s as possess. 'possessed' by spirits dates from the 1500s. Today, possess means to own or have.