possessed
possessed Lexical Profile
possessed Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To have and hold as property, or to have as an ability, quality, or characteristic (past tense and past participle of 'possess').
"The historical archive possessed several rare letters from the eighteenth century."
To completely dominate or control the mind or behavior of someone (past tense and past participle of 'possess').
"A sudden sense of urgency possessed the crew as the storm approached."
• adjective
Completely controlled or dominated by a strong emotion, obsession, madness, or supposed supernatural spirit.
"He worked through the night like a man possessed to finish the manuscript before the deadline."
Having, owning, or endowed with a specified quality, attribute, or asset (used predicatively and followed by 'of').
"She was possessed of a remarkably sharp wit and an encyclopedic memory."
Word Nuance & Usage
When meaning 'having or owning' (e.g., 'possessed of great wealth'), the adjective is used exclusively in the predicate position and is followed by the preposition 'of'.
• Rhymes for possessed
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the verb 'possess', which entered Middle English via Old French from the Latin 'possessus', the past participle of 'possidere' ('to hold as property, occupy'), formed from 'potis' ('able, powerful') and 'sedere' ('to sit').