Third person singular present tense of possess; to own, have, or control something, or to be influenced or controlled by an emotion or spirit.
From Latin possidere meaning 'to sit down on, occupy' (pos- variant of potis 'able' + sedere 'to sit'). The supernatural sense of being controlled by spirits developed in medieval times alongside the legal sense of ownership.
The word 'possess' literally means 'to sit upon' - imagine ownership as physically sitting on something to claim it! This ancient image explains why we still talk about 'holdings' and why demonic possession feels like an invasion - something else has taken your seat. The connection between ownership and control runs deeper than we usually realize.
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