English

power

/ˈpaʊ̯ə̯/
The ability to do or undergo something.

    Etymology graph

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    • borrowed
    • derived
    • parts
    • meaning component
    • sound component
    • related
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    Origin

    From Middle English power, poer, from Old French poeir, from Vulgar Latin potēre, from Latin posse, whence English potent. Compare French pouvoir. Displaced the native Old English anweald.

    From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

    Lineage

    • inheritedMiddle Englishpower
      • borrowedAnglo-Normanpoer
        • inheritedOld Frenchpooir
          • inheritedVulgar Latinposso
            • derivedLatinpossum
              • inheritedProto-Italic*possom
                • partProto-Italic*potis
                  • inheritedProto-Indo-European*pótis “master; ruler; husband”
                    • derived (ultimately)Proto-Indo-European*sed- “sit”
                • partProto-Italic*ezom
                  • inheritedProto-Indo-European*h₁ésti “is”
                  • inheritedProto-Indo-European*bʰúHt
                    • partProto-Indo-European*bʰuH- “to become, be”
                    • partProto-Indo-European*-t
    • rootProto-Indo-European*h₁es- “to be”

    Related: French pouvoir

    Sources