possess
pronunciation
How to pronounce possess in British English:
UK [pəˈzes]
How to pronounce possess in American English:
US [pəˈzes]
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- Verb:
- have as an attribute, knowledge, or skill
- have ownership or possession of
- enter into and control, as of emotions or ideas
Word Origin
- possess
- possess: [15] Latin potis ‘able, having power’ (source of English posse and potent) was combined with the verb sīdere ‘sit down’ (a relative of English sit) to form a new verb possīdere. This meant literally ‘sit down as the person in control’, hence by extension ‘take possession of’ and ultimately ‘have, own’. It passed into English via Old French possesser.=> possible, potent, sit
- possess (v.)
- late 14c., "to hold, occupy, reside in" (without regard to ownership), a back formation from possession and in part from Old French possesser "to have and hold, take, be in possession of" (mid-13c.), from Latin possess-, past participle stem of possidere "to have and hold, possess, be master of, own," from posse "to be able," from potis "able, powerful" (see potent) + esse "to be" (see be). Meaning "to hold as property" is recorded from c. 1500. Demonic sense is recorded from 1530s (implied in possessed). Related: Possessed; possessing.
Example
- 1. What is one characteristic that every leader should possess ?
- 2. Ceos possess a different set of data , knowledge and perspective than anybody else in the company .
- 3. It can only change its will to possess one .
- 4. Plenty of serial entrepreneurs possess the same weakness .
- 5. I possess the skills and talents to achieve anything .