Etymograph

English

possibilitate

Possibilitate comes from Classical Latin possibilis ‘possible, that may exist, that may be done’, from Latin possum ‘to be able to’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pótis ‘master, ruler’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pótis1‘master, ruler’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*potis1‘master, in control of’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*som1reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*possom1reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossum1‘to be able to’
  6. Classical Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossibilis2‘possible, that may exist, that may be done’
  7. Englishearliest quotation a. 1640possibilitate2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin possibilis
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English possibilitate
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: a. 1640, John Ball, A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace: […]: “[…]but ſhew mercy on them, that they may be…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pótisWiktionary, Latin possibilis‘master, ruler’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*potisWiktionary, Latin possibilis‘master, in control of’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*somWiktionary, Latin possibilisreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*possomWiktionary, Latin possibilisreconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossumWiktionary, Latin possibilis‘to be able to’
  6. Classical Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpossibilisWiktionary, English possibilitate‘possible, that may exist, that may be done’
  7. Englishearliest quotation a. 1640possibilitateWiktionary, English possibilitate. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: a. 1640, John Ball, A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace: […]: “[…]but ſhew mercy on them, that they may be…”

Formed from possibilis + -itate

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *pótis ‘master, ruler’

possess, 4 more

through Proto-Italic *potis ‘master, in control of’

potential, potent, potency, impotence, 3 more

through Proto-Italic *possom

power, 6 more

through Latin possum ‘to be able to’

impotent, 6 more

through Classical Latin possibilis ‘possible, that may exist, that may be done’

impossible, impossibility, 3 more

Today it means

verb To make possible.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “possibilitate”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Latin possibilis. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pótis / possibilitate

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