Etymologically
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puissance

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /pɥi.sɑ̃s/[1]

Forms

puissance f (plural puissances)[1] Old French poissance, puissance;[2][3][4] Anglo-Norman also pussaunce, puisaunce.[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is derived from puissant (“powerful”).[5][6][1] The adjective, Old French poissant, is a present-participle form of pouvoir, remade after the forms of the verb with the vowel ⟨ui⟩;[5][2] The verb continues Vulgar Latin *poteō, a remaking of classical Latin possum (“to be able”).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first recorded about 1120, in the Oxford Psalter, for authority;[7][8] Wace uses it about 1130–1140 for the strength and power of a person.[5]

Semantic evolution

From the strong sense, the position of someone who can do much, came the political sense, great power within a community (12th century), and soon a group of powerful people.[8] It could mean an army (Joinville, 1306: toute la puissance du soudan), and physical strength (about 1220), now said of animals only.[5][8][3] In theology les Puissances are an order of angels (about 1485), and la puissance des ténèbres (1530) the power of darkness.[5][8] Mathematics took it in 1580 for the power of a number, scholastic philosophy (Mersenne, 1639, Descartes, 1647) for en puissance “potentially”, and Corneille in 1660 uses it for a sovereign State.[5][7] Furetière in 1690 records the power of a machine, the basis of the modern technical senses.[7] In mining it is the thickness of a seam (1794–1795).[9] Volonté de puissance, the will to power, is recorded in 1934 in Jules Romains.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 1120 – “Authority”, in the Oxford Psalter.[7]
  • 1130–1140 – “Strength, power”, in Wace.[5]
  • 1306 – “Armed force”, in Joinville.[5]
  • c. 1485 – Les Puissances, an order of angels.[5]
  • 1580 – The mathematical sense.[5]
  • 1639 – En puissance “potentially”, in Mersenne.[5]
  • 1660 – “A sovereign State”, in Corneille.[5]
  • 1690 – The power of a machine, in Furetière.[7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The state of having great power over people or things; domination: volonté de puissance.[10][11]
  2. Strength, force, intensity: la puissance d'une explosion, puissance de feu.[10][1]
  3. A State, a power: les grandes puissances, puissance nucléaire.[10][1]
  4. (physics, technology) Power: work done per unit of time; the power of an engine or of a lens.[7][10]
  5. (mathematics) A power of a number.[10][1]
  6. (philosophy) Potentiality, as against act, en puissance, potential: un criminel en puissance.[10]
  7. (theology, in the plural) The Powers, an order of angels, les puissances des ténèbres, the forces of evil.[5][10]
  8. (old law) Authority: puissance paternelle.[10]

Word family

  • toute-puissance
  • impuissance

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  3. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  4. ^ a b Anglo-Norman Dictionary (AND2), Aberystwyth University, anglo-norman.net (2nd ed., 2005–)
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  6. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  8. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  9. ^ Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  11. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)