impos Latin · revision 9772

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=compound|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *pótis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈɪm.pɔs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈim.pos]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''impos''' (genitive impotis, comparative impotior, superlative impotissimus); third-declension one-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ Also spelled ''inpos''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[in-]] “not” and ⟨*pos⟩, the root of [[potis]] “able”, the opposite of [[compos]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan takes the stem in ⟨-pot-⟩ “able” of ⟨impos⟩ and ⟨compos⟩ as confirming the root of ⟨potis⟩, which he traces to [[ine-pro|*pót-i-|t=master, lord]].^(de Vaan 2008) The TLL cites Leumann's alternative derivation from [[impōnō]].^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its earliest source is Plautus.^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ With a genitive it meant not having control or possession of, not master of, as in Plautus' ''impos animī'' and Accius, and Lewis & Short call it ante- and post-classical, as in Seneca, Suetonius and Apuleius.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant not master of, without control of.^(Stelten 1995) British Medieval Latin used it for not possessing, and ''impos vōtī'' not having what one desires.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 170–c. 90 BC – Accius uses it.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(with genitive)'' Not having control or possession of, not master of.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[compos]]

+ * [[potis]]

+ * [[possum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}