English
possibility
Possibility comes from Middle English possibilite, from Late Latin possibilitās, from possibilis ‘possible’, from possum ‘to be able’, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pótis ‘master’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pótis‘master’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*potis‘master’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*possomreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossum‘to be able to’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossibilis‘possible’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEpossibilitās
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400possibilite
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600possibilité
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500possibilite‘possibility’
- Englishearliest quotation 1593possibility
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pótis‘master’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*potis‘master’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*possomreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossum‘to be able to’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossibilis‘possible’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEpossibilitās
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400possibilite
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600possibilité
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500possibilite‘possibility’
- Englishearliest quotation 1593possibility
Earliest quotation: 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […]: “VVere Iacke Strawe a liue againe, And I in…”
Equivalent to possible + -ity
Proto-Italic *possom
Latin possum ‘to be able’
Latin possibilis ‘possible’
Old French possible
Middle English possible
English possible
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pótis ‘master, ruler’
through Proto-Italic *potis ‘master, in control of’
potential, potent, potency, impotence, 3 more
through Proto-Italic *possom
through Latin possum ‘to be able to’
through Latin possibilis ‘possible’
Today it means
noun The quality of being possible.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pótis / possibility