possedere Italian · revision 38938

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=960, Capuan placito|origins=la possideō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /pos.seˈde.re/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''possedere''' (first-person singular present possièdo or possiédo or possèggo or posséggo, first-person singular past historic possedétti or (traditional) possedètti or possedéi, past participle possedùto, first-person singular future (now more common, especially in speech) possiederò or possederò, auxiliary avére)^(Wiktionary)

+ The present has ''possiedo'' or ''posseggo'', like [[sedere]].^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary) Old forms include ''posedere'', ''possedire'', ''possidere'' and ''prosedere''.^(GDLI)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|possideō|t=to occupy as owner, to possess|alt=possidēre]], a learned word according to DELI and Nocentini.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003) Wiktionary treats it as inherited.^(Wiktionary) Nocentini counts [[fro|posseoir]] and [[es|poseer]] as words handed down directly from Latin, and [[fr|posséder]] as learned like the Italian.^(Nocentini 2010) Meyer-Lübke lists further outcomes such as [[pro|posezir]] and [[pt|possuir]].^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Latin verb is a compound of [[m|la|potis|t=able; master]] and [[m|la|sedeō|t=to sit; to reside]], first meaning “to occupy a place as its master”.^(DELI 1999)^(Devoto 1968)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GDLI) Devoto notes the loss of the end of the first element and the change of /e/ to /i/ in the internal syllable.^(Devoto 1968) De Vaan derives [[m|la|potis]] from [[ine-pro|*pót-i-|t=master, lord]], also the source of [[sa|पति|tr=páti|t=lord]], [[grc|πόσις|tr=pósis|t=husband]] and [[lt|pàts]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is the Capuan placito, the sworn testimony about land ownership that GRADIT and Zingarelli date to 960;^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) DELI and Nocentini print the date as 910.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010) The sense there is “to hold as property, to have dominion over”.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Devoto describes the verb as passing from landed property to other things.^(Devoto 1968) Iacopone da Todi (before 1306) uses it for “to dominate completely”, and Dante has it for wealth: ''che gran ricchezza posseder con vizio'' (“than to possess great riches with vice”).^(DELI 1999)^(GDLI) He also uses it for occupying a place: ''orrevol gente possedea quel loco'' (“honourable people held that place”).^(GRADIT 2003)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ Later the verb came to mean having qualities, mastering a language or an art, and, mostly in the passive, being overwhelmed by a passion or by the devil (''posseduto dal demonio'').^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) Tommaseo quotes Segneri on the rich, who possess much and are much possessed by their goods.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861) The learned derivatives came with it: ''possessore'' (1304–1308) and ''possessivo'' in Dante, ''possessione'' (c. 1350), ''possedimento'' (before 1347, and “estate, territory” from 1816) and ''possesso'' (before 1566).^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 960 – The Capuan placito has the first recorded use.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ * Before 1306 – Iacopone da Todi uses it for “to dominate completely”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1304–1308 – Dante has the derivative ''possessore''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1347 – ''Possedimento'' is recorded in Bartolomeo da San Concordio.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1566 – Annibal Caro uses ''possesso''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1816 – ''Possedimento'' is used for landed estates and territories.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|own]], to have as property: ''Mio nonno possedeva un uliveto vicino al mare.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(absolute)'' To be wealthy, to own property: ''La sua famiglia possiede da generazioni.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To rule, to hold [[m|en|sovereignty]] over a territory.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # To have, to be endowed with (a quality): ''Possiede una pazienza straordinaria.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(figurative, often passive)'' Of a passion, to overwhelm, take hold of someone.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026) ''Essere posseduto dal demonio'' is to be [[m|en|possessed]] by the devil.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''(figurative)'' To [[m|en|master]], know thoroughly: ''possedere bene il tedesco''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(literary)'' Of a man, to have sexual intercourse with a woman.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(literary)'' To occupy, inhabit a place.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[possedimento]]

+ * [[posseduto]]

+ * [[possessore]]

+ * [[possesso]]

+ * [[possessione]]

+ * [[possessivo]]

+ * [[impossessarsi]]

+ * [[spossessare]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sedere]]

+ * [[potere]]

+ * [[possidente]]

+ * [[la|possideo]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The present is ''possiedo'' or ''posseggo'', and the future ''possiederò'' or ''possederò'', the first now more common in speech.^(Wiktionary)^(Treccani 2011) The present participle ''possedente'' is rare and usually replaced by [[possidente]].^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}