potior

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈpo.ti.or/, [ˈpɔt̪iɔr]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈpot.t͡si.or/, [ˈpɔt̪ː͡s̪ior]

Etymology 1

Derivative of potis (“able”). Cognate to Albanian pata.

Verb

potior (present infinitive potīrī or potīrier, perfect active potītus sum); fourth conjugation, deponent

1. to become master of, to take possession of
   • c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 6.6:

     Caesar partitis copiis cum Gaio Fabio legato et Mārcō Crassō quaestōre celeriterque effectīs pontibus adit tripertītō, aedificia vīcōsque incendit, magnō pecoris atque hominum numerō potītur.

     Caesar, having divided his forces with C. Fabius, his lieutenant, and M. Crassus his questor, and having hastily constructed some bridges, enters their country in three divisions, burns their houses and villages, and gains possession of a large number of cattle and men.

2. to be master of, to have, hold, possess

Usage notes

• Part of a small group of verbs, all with a short-vowel root, displaying both 3rd and 4th conjugation forms.
• The verb potior and others like it, fruor, fungor, ūtor, vescor, and their compounds, regularly govern the ablative case.

  Mīles gladiō ūtitur.

  The soldier uses a sword.

• Potior sometimes governs the genitive.

  potīrī rērum ― to get control of affairs

• Pre- and post-Classically potior can also govern the accusative.

  160 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Adelphoe 871:

  ille alter sine labōre patria potītur commoda.

  He, on the other hand, without any trouble on his part, enjoys a father's comforts.

Conjugation

Conjugation of potior (fourth conjugation, deponent)
indicative		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	potior	potīris, potīre	potītur	potīmur	potīminī	potiuntur
	imperfect	potiēbar	potiēbāris, potiēbāre	potiēbātur	potiēbāmur	potiēbāminī	potiēbantur
	future	potiar	potiēris, potiēre	potiētur	potiēmur	potiēminī	potientur
	perfect	potītus + present active indicative of sum
	pluperfect	potītus + imperfect active indicative of sum
	future perfect	potītus + future active indicative of sum
subjunctive		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	potiar	potiāris, potiāre	potiātur	potiāmur	potiāminī	potiantur
	imperfect	potīrer, poterer	potīrēris, potīrēre, poterēris, poterēre	potīrētur, poterētur	potīrēmur, poterēmur	potīrēminī, poterēminī	potīrentur, poterentur
	perfect	potītus + present active subjunctive of sum
	pluperfect	potītus + imperfect active subjunctive of sum
imperative		singular			plural
		first	second	third	first	second	third
active	present	—	potīre	—	—	potīminī	—
	future	—	potītor	potītor	—	—	potiuntor
non-finite forms		active			passive
		present	perfect	future	present	perfect	future
infinitives		potīrī, potīrier1	potītum esse	potītūrum esse	—	—	—
participles		potiēns	potītus	potītūrus	—	—	potiendus, potiundus
verbal nouns		gerund				supine
		genitive	dative	accusative	ablative	accusative	ablative
		potiendī	potiendō	potiendum	potiendō	potītum	potītū

¹The present passive infinitive in -ier is a rare poetic form which is attested.

Etymology 2

Comparative of potis (“able, capable”).

Adjective

potior (neuter potius); third declension

1. (of persons) preferred, preferable, better
2. (of things) better, stronger, more important, more preferable, more desirable
   • 29 BCE – 19 BCE, Virgil, Aeneid 4.287:

     Haec alternantī potior sententia vīsa est: [...].

     [As Aeneas was] wavering [among] these [possible choices], [this] seemed to be the more preferable answer: [...].
     (Aeneas considers how to end his relationship with Dido and leave Carthage.)

Declension

Third-declension comparative adjective.

	singular			plural
	masc./fem.	neuter		masc./fem.	neuter
nominative	potior	potius		potiōrēs	potiōra
genitive	potiōris			potiōrum
dative	potiōrī			potiōribus
accusative	potiōrem	potius		potiōrēs potiōrīs	potiōra
ablative	potiōre potiōrī			potiōribus
vocative	potior	potius		potiōrēs	potiōra

Related terms

• potissimus

Descendants

• Italian: poziore
• Sicilian: puzziuri

References

• “potior”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “potior”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• potior in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• potior in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • (1) to usurp supreme power, (2) to be in a position of power: rerum potiri
    
  • to conquer a country: terra potiri
    
  • (ambiguous) there is nothing I am more interested in than..: nihil antiquius or prius habeo quam ut (nihil mihi antiquius or potius est, quam ut)
    
• potior in Ramminger, Johann (2016 July 16 (last accessed)) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700‎^[2], pre-publication website, 2005-2016