possessiveness en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree English possessive Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English possessiveness From possessive + -ness.
Meanings
- (uncountable) The quality of being possessive; the desire to obsessively and exclusively control another person.