puissance French · revision 17564

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1120, Oxford Psalter|origins=la possum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pɥi.sɑ̃s/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''puissance''' ''f'' (plural puissances)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old French ''poissance'', ''puissance'';^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)^(AND) Anglo-Norman also ''pussaunce'', ''puisaunce''.^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)^(Littré 1873)^(AND)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is derived from [[puissant|t=powerful]].^(TLFi)^(Grand Robert 2005)^(Wiktionary) The adjective, Old French [[m|fro|poissant]], is a present-participle form of [[pouvoir]], remade after the forms of the verb with the vowel ⟨ui⟩;^(TLFi)^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989) The verb continues Vulgar Latin [[m|la-vul|*poteō]], a remaking of classical [[la|possum|t=to be able]].^(Bloch & Wartburg 1989)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is first recorded about 1120, in the Oxford Psalter, for authority;^(GLLF 1989)^(DHLF 1992) Wace uses it about 1130–1140 for the strength and power of a person.^(TLFi)

+

+ ==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.^(DHLF 1992) It could mean an army (Joinville, 1306: ''toute la puissance du soudan''), and physical strength (about 1220), now said of animals only.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992)^(Littré 1873) In theology ''les Puissances'' are an order of angels (about 1485), and ''la puissance des ténèbres'' (1530) the power of darkness.^(TLFi)^(DHLF 1992) 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.^(TLFi)^(GLLF 1989) Furetière in 1690 records the power of a machine, the basis of the modern technical senses.^(GLLF 1989) In mining it is the thickness of a seam (1794–1795).^(BHVF) ''Volonté de puissance'', the will to power, is recorded in 1934 in Jules Romains.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1120 – “Authority”, in the Oxford Psalter.^(GLLF 1989)

+ * 1130–1140 – “Strength, power”, in Wace.^(TLFi)

+ * 1306 – “Armed force”, in Joinville.^(TLFi)

+ * c. 1485 – ''Les Puissances'', an order of angels.^(TLFi)

+ * 1580 – The mathematical sense.^(TLFi)

+ * 1639 – ''En puissance'' “potentially”, in Mersenne.^(TLFi)

+ * 1660 – “A sovereign State”, in Corneille.^(TLFi)

+ * 1690 – The power of a machine, in Furetière.^(GLLF 1989)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The state of having great [[pouvoir|alt=power]] over people or things; domination: ''volonté de puissance''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Le Robert)

+ # Strength, force, [[m|en|intensity]]: ''la puissance d'une explosion'', ''puissance de feu''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A State, a power: ''les grandes puissances'', ''puissance nucléaire''.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(physics, technology)'' Power: work done per unit of time; the power of an engine or of a lens.^(GLLF 1989)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' A [[m|en|power]] of a number.^(Petit Robert 2007)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(philosophy)'' Potentiality, as against act, ''en puissance'', potential: ''un criminel en puissance''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(theology, in the plural)'' The Powers, an order of [[ange|alt=angels]], ''les puissances des ténèbres'', the forces of evil.^(TLFi)^(Petit Robert 2007)

+ # ''(old law)'' Authority: ''puissance paternelle''.^(Petit Robert 2007)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[toute-puissance]]

+ * [[impuissance]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pouvoir]]

+ * [[puissant]]

+ * [[tout-puissant]]

+ * [[possible]]

+ * [[en|puissance]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}