Past tense of repossess: to take back property that someone bought but didn't finish paying for.
From 're-' (again) + 'possess' (from Latin 'possidere' to own). This legal term became common in the 1800s as consumer credit and loans became more widespread.
The rise of the word 'repossessed' tracks with the rise of consumer culture—it barely existed before 1900, but became common during the Great Depression when banks had to take back cars and homes from people who couldn't pay!
Gendered lending discrimination meant women (especially married women) were denied credit, making them vulnerable to losing property through family dynamics. Divorce courts historically allowed ex-husbands to leverage repossession against women's economic security.
When discussing repossession, acknowledge disparities in who holds collateral, whose property is protected, and gendered economic vulnerability in debt systems.
["asset recovery","legal seizure"]
Women's financial autonomy movements secured the right to independent credit, though wealth gaps from historical dispossession persist.
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