English
possible
Possible comes from Middle English possible, from Old French possible, from Latin possibilis, from possum ‘to be able’.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*possomreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossum‘to be able’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossibilis‘possible’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400possible
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1881–1882same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*possomreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossum‘to be able’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossibilis‘possible’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400possible
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1881–1882same form
Earliest quotation: 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island: “[…] “don’t you be in any great hurry after…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- ‘to be, become, grow, appear’
be, been, future, build, improve, physical, bond, represent, bush, bound, presentation, contribution, booth, approve, physician, probability, distribute, fiat, contributor, bun, favorable, bouquet, retribution, favourable, imp, attribution, absentee, rebuke, bower, aren, absentia, beamer, phylogeny, phylum, bosque, approbation, physic, boor, bist, futur, 74 more
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰúHt ‘to become’
present, presence, essential, absence, entity, absent, bondage, busk, 15 more
through Proto-Italic *possom
through Latin possum ‘to be able’
through Latin possibilis
Today it means
adj Able but not certain to happen; neither inevitable nor impossible.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *possom / possible