Etymologically
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possessio

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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

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