possum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈpɔs.sũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpɔs.sum]^[1]

Forms

possum (present infinitive posse or potesse, perfect active potuī); irregular conjugation, suppletive, impersonal in the passive in Old Latin, no gerund^[1] Old forms are potis sum and potis est for possum, potest, in Plautus, and the infinitive potesse in Plautus, Terence, Lucilius and Lucretius.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *possom, from *potis (“master, in control of”) and *som (“I am”); by surface analysis it is from Latin potis + sum.^[1][2] De Vaan traces ⟨potis⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *pót-i- (“master, lord”), which became an adjective in combination with ⟨esse⟩; the perfect ⟨potuī⟩ belonged to a stative verb ⟨*pot-ē-⟩ “to be master” and was later reanalysed as the perfect of ⟨posse⟩. ^[4] The exact process that led from ⟨potis⟩ + ⟨esse⟩ to the paradigm of ⟨posse⟩ is disputed.^[4] Cognates include Oscan pútíad (“may be able”) and Sanskrit पति (páti, “lord, master”).^[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

With an infinitive it meant to be able, be capable of, as in Plautus; to bring oneself to do something unpleasant, have the heart to; to be permitted by law or custom, have a right; it expressed contingency or possibility; and with an accusative it meant to be capable of something, as in Lucilius.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to be able, have power, can.^[6] It continues as Italian potere, Old French pooir, Spanish and Portuguese poder and Romanian putea.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it, also as potis sum and potesse.^[2][3][5]
• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it with an accusative.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of what can happen.^[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

1. (with infinitive) To be able, be capable of.^[2]
2. To bring oneself, have the heart (to do something hard).^[2]
3. To be permitted by law or custom, have a right.^[2]
4. To be possible, be able to happen.^[2]
5. (with accusative) To be capable of; to have power.^[2]

Word family

• possibilis

Related words

• absum
• adsum
• dēsum
• īnsum
• intersum
• obsum
• potentiālis
• potis
• praesum
• prōsum
• potēns
• sum

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson