English

gunpower

From gun + power.

A compound of gun + power

Middle English gunne

English gun

Proto-Italic *possom

Latin possum ‘to be able, can’

Vulgar Latin potēre

Old French poeir ‘to be able; power, ability’

Middle English power

English power

Today it means

noun firepower from guns

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / gunpower