What does possess mean?
“Possess” means to own something or to have control over it, but the verb also extends to qualities, abilities, emotions, and states. Someone who possesses property has legal ownership of it; a person who possesses a quality has it as a defining characteristic. The phrase “possess oneself” means to behave with self-control, while “possessed by” describes being overwhelmed or strongly affected by an emotion or belief. In religious and historical contexts, possession can refer to spiritual control over a person. Although “have” is the everyday equivalent, “possess” is more formal and often suggests ownership, authority, or an enduring characteristic. It is especially common in legal writing, scholarship, descriptions of people, and literary language.
verbTo own or have control over something, or to be characterized by a particular quality, ability, or state. In legal and religious contexts, it can also mean to have legal or spiritual control over something or someone.
- To own or have legal control over property, rights, or something tangible.
- To have a quality, ability, emotion, or state, as in “She possessed a rare kind of courage.”
- To exercise control over a person or thing, especially in legal or religious contexts.
- To cause a strong emotion or feeling to take hold of someone, especially in literary or historical usage.
"The company possesses the rights to the software, but its developers retain their claim to the underlying ideas."
"The museum possesses one of the earliest surviving manuscripts in the language."
"Her quiet confidence possessed the room from the moment she entered."
From Latin, “possess” literally evokes having power over something: the word links ownership to authority and control.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of possess
The English verb comes from Latin possessus, the past participle of possidere, meaning “to have, hold, or be master of.” The Latin word is formed from potis, “able” or “powerful,” and habere, “to have,” reflecting the idea of having power or being able to control something. Related English forms include possession, possessive, and possessor, as well as the cognate development represented by possessory. The word entered English in the late Middle English period and was established in legal and literary usage by the early modern period.
Related word forms
How possess is actually used
The word is formal and often appears in legal, academic, or literary contexts. It can sound emphatic or archaic when used for an emotional or spiritual state, as in “possessed by fear.”
Easily confused with possess
“Possess” is a verb meaning to own or have control over something, whereas “possessory” is an adjective describing a right or relationship connected with possession.