potior

Latin

Pronunciation

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

Etymology 1

From Proto-Italic *potjōr.

Verb

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

1. I obtain, acquire, get

   Synonyms: adipīscor, cōnsequor, parō, pariō, impetrō, mereō, sūmō, emō, comparō, acquīrō, ūsūrpō, inveniō, apīscor, obtineō, conciliō, nancīscor, colligō, alliciō

   Antonym: āmittō

   • c. 52 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 6.6:

     Caesar partitis copiis cum Gaio Fabio legato et Marco Crasso quaestore celeriterque effectis pontibus adit tripertito, aedificia vicosque incendit, magno pecoris atque hominum numero potitur.

     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. I grasp, attain
3. I seize, capture, control

   Synonyms: possideō, occupō, expugnō, obsideō, teneō, adipīscor, arripiō, corripiō, comprehendo, dēprehendō, apprehendō, capessō, capiō

Usage notes

• 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

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	potīrēris, potīrēre	potīrētur	potīrēmur	potīrēminī	potīrentur
	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

From Proto-Italic *potjōs, comparative of potis (“able, capable”). Cognate to Albanian pata.

Adjective

potior (neuter potius); third declension

1. comparative degree of potis

Declension

Third-declension comparative adjective.

Number	Singular			Plural
Case / Gender	Masc./Fem.	Neuter		Masc./Fem.	Neuter
Nominative	potior	potius		potiōrēs	potiōra
Genitive	potiōris			potiōrum
Dative	potiōrī			potiōribus
Accusative	potiōrem	potius		potiōrēs	potiōra
Ablative	potiōre			potiōribus
Vocative	potior	potius		potiōrēs	potiōra

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 (accessed 16 July 2016) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700‎^[2], pre-publication website, 2005-2016