possessio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [pɔsˈsɛs.si.ɔ]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [posˈsɛs.si.o]^[1]

Forms

possessiō f (genitive possessiōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from possideō “to possess” with the suffix -tiō.^[2][1][3] Paul in the Digest, following Labeo, derived it from ⟨sēdēs⟩ “seat”, as if “a placing”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is the agrarian law of 111 BC.^[4] The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant occupancy of land or property, as opposed to dominium, ownership, the act of taking possession, as Cicero's bonōrum possessiō, and the enjoyment of advantages.^[2][5] It meant military or political occupation of territory, as in Caesar, seizure of a position, as Livy's rēgnī possessiō, and control of an institution.^[2][5] Concretely, especially in the plural, it meant a holding, estate, as in Cicero.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant possession, property, substance.^[6] Medieval Latin used it of an estate, and British Medieval Latin of seisin as distinct from the right of ownership.^[7][8] English possession came in the mid-14th century.^[9]

Timeline

• 111 BC – The agrarian law has the word.^[4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of occupancy and of estates.^[2][4]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of occupying territory.^[2][4]
• mid-14th century – English possession is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. Occupancy, possession; taking possession.^[2]
2. Enjoyment of advantages.^[2]
3. Occupation of territory; seizure; control.^[2]
4. A holding, estate.^[2]

Word family

• possessiuncula

Related words

• possessīvus
• possessor
• possessōrius
• possessus
• possideō
• dominium
• English possession

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com