noun · verb · 17 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/pəˈzɛʃn̩/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛʃən
CMU ARPABET:P AH0 Z EH1 SH AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A control or occupancy of something for which one does not necessarily have private property rights.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Narrower terms: mortmain
2
noun
Meaning 2
Something that is owned.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
The car quickly became his most prized possession.
I would gladly give all of my worldly possessions just to be able to do that.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Réunion is the largest of France's overseas possessions.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
The condition or affliction of being possessed by a demon or other supernatural entity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Examples
Back then, people with psychiatric disorders were sometimes thought to be victims of demonic possession.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: enthusiasm
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
The condition of being under the control of strong emotion or madness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A control of the ball; the opportunity to be on the offensive.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports
Examples
The scoreboard shows a little football symbol next to the name of the team that has possession.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A disposal of the ball during a game, i.e. a kick or a handball.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Qualifier: Australian rules football
Examples
2019 In the mix: Who's pushing for selection for round eight? Australian Football League, 7 May 2019. Accessed 7 May 2019. Defender Colin O'Riordan had 41 possessions in the NEAFL last week to continue his outstanding form, while Ryan Clarke had 47 in the Swans' big loss to Brisbane.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
A syntactic relationship between two nouns or nominals that may be used to indicate ownership.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
Examples
Some languages distinguish between a construction like 'my car', which shows alienable possession — the car could become someone else's — and one like 'my foot', which has inalienable possession — my foot will always be mine.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
To invest with property.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
anything owned or possessed
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Narrower terms: Macao, Macau, British Virgin Islands, United States Virgin Islands, American Virgin Islands, VI, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Faroe Islands, Faeroe Islands, Faroes, Faeroes, French Polynesia, French Oceania
16
noun
Meaning 16
a mania restricted to one thing or idea
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: monomania
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: mania, passion, cacoethes
17
noun
Meaning 17
being controlled by passion or the supernatural
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: enchantment, spell, trance
History
Etymology
From Latin possessiō, possessiōnis. Equivalent to possess + -ion.
Across languages
Translations
195 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
حَوْزَة
(ḥawza)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Belarusian:
улада́нне
(uladánnje)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Belarusian:
улада́ньне
(uladánʹnje)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Belarusian:
вало́данне
(valódannje)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Belarusian:
вало́даньне
(valódanʹnje)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Bulgarian:
владе́ние
(vladénie)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Czech:
vlastnictví
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Finnish:
hallussapito
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Finnish:
hallinta
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Greek:
κατοχή
(katochí)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Greek:
νομή
(nomí)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Hungarian:
birtokbavétel
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Hungarian:
felhasználás
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Hungarian:
tényleges használat
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Hungarian:
igénybevétel
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Macedonian:
владеење
(vladeenje)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Polish:
władanie
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Portuguese:
invasão
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Portuguese:
posse
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Romanian:
posesie
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Russian:
владе́ние
(vladénije)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Russian:
облада́ние
(obladánije)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Slovak:
vlastnenie
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Spanish:
posesión
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Spanish:
posesión natural
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Ukrainian:
володі́ння
(volodínnja)
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Welsh:
meddiant
— control or occupancy without legal ownership
Arabic:
مُمْتَلَك
(mumtalak)
— something that is owned
Armenian:
գույք
(guykʻ)
— something that is owned
Armenian:
սեփականություն
(sepʻakanutʻyun)
— something that is owned
Belarusian:
маёмасць
(majómascʹ)
— something that is owned
Belarusian:
маёмасьць
(majómasʹcʹ)
— something that is owned
Belarusian:
скарб
(skarb)
— something that is owned
Bulgarian:
иму́щество
(imúštestvo)
— something that is owned
Bulgarian:
со́бственост
(sóbstvenost)
— something that is owned
Burmese:
ဥစ္စာ
(ucca)
— something that is owned
Catalan:
possessió
— something that is owned
Catalan:
propietat
— something that is owned
Chinese Mandarin:
所有物
(suǒyǒuwù)
— something that is owned
Chinese Mandarin:
財產 /财产
(cáichǎn)
— something that is owned
Czech:
majetek
— something that is owned
Dutch:
bezitting
— something that is owned
Esperanto:
posedaĵo
— something that is owned
Finnish:
omaisuus
— something that is owned
French:
bien
— something that is owned
Galician:
posesión
— something that is owned
Georgian:
ქონა
(kona)
— something that is owned
German:
Gut
— something that is owned
Gothic:
𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍄𐍃
(aihts)
— something that is owned
Gothic:
𐍃𐍅𐌴𐍃
(swēs)
— something that is owned
Greek:
περιουσιακό στοιχείο
(periousiakó stoicheío)
— something that is owned
Greek:
απόκτημα
(apóktima)
— something that is owned
Greek:
κτήμα
(ktíma)
— something that is owned
Greek:
περιουσία
(periousía)
— something that is owned
Ancient Greek:
κτῆμα
(ktêma)
— something that is owned
Ancient Greek:
κτέαρ
(ktéar)
— something that is owned
Hungarian:
birtok
— something that is owned
Hungarian:
tulajdon
— something that is owned
Hungarian:
vagyon
— something that is owned
Hungarian:
javak
— something that is owned
Irish:
sealúchas
— something that is owned
Japanese:
保有物
(hoyūbutsu)
— something that is owned
Japanese:
所有物
(shoyūbutsu)
— something that is owned
Khmer:
កម្មសិទ្ធិ
(kammea’setthi’)
— something that is owned
Korean:
소유물
(soyumul)
— something that is owned
Latin:
bonum
— something that is owned
Macedonian:
сопственост
(sopstvenost)
— something that is owned
Māori:
rirohanga
— something that is owned
Middle English:
warisoun
— something that is owned
Navajo:
inchxǫ́ʼí
— something that is owned
Navajo:
yódí
— something that is owned
Norwegian Bokmål:
eiendom
— something that is owned
Old English:
ǣht
— something that is owned
Old English:
āgenung
— something that is owned
Polish:
dobytek
— something that is owned
Polish:
własność
— something that is owned
Polish:
majątek
— something that is owned
Portuguese:
possessão
— something that is owned
Portuguese:
posse
— something that is owned
Romanian:
posesie
— something that is owned
Romanian:
proprietate
— something that is owned
Russian:
иму́щество
(imúščestvo)
— something that is owned
Russian:
со́бственность
(sóbstvennostʹ)
— something that is owned
Russian:
добро́
(dobró)
— something that is owned
Russian:
скарб
(skarb)
— something that is owned
Slovak:
majetok
— something that is owned
Spanish:
posesión
— something that is owned
Swedish:
ägodel
— something that is owned
Swedish:
egendom
— something that is owned
Tocharian B:
waipecce
— something that is owned
Ottoman Turkish:
مال
(mal)
— something that is owned
Ukrainian:
майно́
(majnó)
— something that is owned
Ukrainian:
має́тність
(majétnistʹ)
— something that is owned
Ukrainian:
скарб
(skarb)
— something that is owned
Ukrainian:
худо́ба
(xudóba)
— something that is owned
Arabic:
مُلْكِيّة
(mulkiyya)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Arabic:
حَوْزَة
(ḥawza)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Arabic:
عُهْدَة
(ʕuhda)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Bulgarian:
притежание
(pritežanie)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Catalan:
propietat
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Catalan:
possessió
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Chinese Mandarin:
佔有 /占有
(zhànyǒu)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Dutch:
bezit
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Dutch:
bezittingen
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Finnish:
omistajuus
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Finnish:
omistus
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
French:
possession
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
French:
propriété
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Greek:
κατοχή
(katochí)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Greek:
ιδιοκτησία
(idioktisía)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Greek:
κυριότητα
(kyriótita)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Ancient Greek:
κτῆσις
(ktêsis)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Ancient Greek:
κατοχή
(katokhḗ)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Hungarian:
birtoklás
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Irish:
seilbh
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Italian:
possesso
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Japanese:
保持
(hoji)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Japanese:
保有
(hoyū)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Japanese:
所持
(shoji)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Japanese:
所有
(shoyū)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Middle English:
warisoun
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Norwegian Bokmål:
eierskap
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Old English:
ǣht
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Polish:
posiadanie
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Portuguese:
possessão
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Portuguese:
posse
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Romanian:
posesiune
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Romanian:
proprietate
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Romanian:
stăpânire
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Russian:
облада́ние
(obladánije)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Russian:
владе́ние
(vladénije)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Scottish Gaelic:
sealbhachadh
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Spanish:
tenencia
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Spanish:
posesión civil
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Swedish:
innehav
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Swedish:
ägande
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Thai:
การครอบครอง
(gaan-krɔ̂ɔp-krɔɔng)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Ottoman Turkish:
صاحبلك
(sahiblik)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Ottoman Turkish:
ملكیت
(mülkiyet)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Zazaki:
wayır (diq)
— ownership; taking, holding, keeping something as one's own
Catalan:
possessió
— a territory under the rule of another country
Finnish:
alusmaa
— a territory under the rule of another country
Finnish:
hallintoalue
— a territory under the rule of another country
French:
possessions
— a territory under the rule of another country
Hungarian:
függő terület
— a territory under the rule of another country
Hungarian:
gyarmat
— a territory under the rule of another country
Irish:
gabháltas
— a territory under the rule of another country
Japanese:
占領地
(senryōchi)
— a territory under the rule of another country
Polish:
posiadłość
— a territory under the rule of another country
Portuguese:
possessão
— a territory under the rule of another country
Portuguese:
domínio
— a territory under the rule of another country
Romanian:
stăpânire
— a territory under the rule of another country
Romanian:
posesie
— a territory under the rule of another country
Russian:
владе́ния
(vladénija)
— a territory under the rule of another country
Russian:
зави́симая террито́рия
(zavísimaja territórija)
— a territory under the rule of another country
Spanish:
posesiones
— a territory under the rule of another country
Arabic:
مَسّ
(mass)
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Arabic:
تَلَبُّس
(talabbus)
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Bengali:
আসর
(asôr)
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Bulgarian:
обсебеност
(obsebenost)
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Catalan:
possessió
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Dutch:
bezetenheid
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Finnish:
riivaus
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Finnish:
possessio
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
French:
possession
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
German:
Besessenheit
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Hungarian:
megszállottság
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Hungarian:
őrültség
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Indonesian:
kerasukan
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Indonesian:
kesurupan
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Japanese:
憑依
(hyōi)
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Kashmiri:
پرٛاہ
(prāh)
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Norwegian Bokmål:
besittelse
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Polish:
opętanie
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Portuguese:
possessão
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Romanian:
demonism
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Romanian:
demonie
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Romanian:
posesiune
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Russian:
одержи́мость
(oderžímostʹ)
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Russian:
бѐсоодержи́мость
(bèsooderžímostʹ)
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Spanish:
posesión
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Telugu:
ఆవేశము
(āvēśamu)
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Thai:
การถูกสิง
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Ukrainian:
одержимість
(oderžymistʹ)
— the state of being possessed by a spirit or demon
Arabic:
اِسْتِحْوَاذ
(istiḥwāḏ)
— control of the ball in a disputed sports game
Bulgarian:
притежание
(pritežanie)
— control of the ball in a disputed sports game
Catalan:
possessió
— control of the ball in a disputed sports game
Finnish:
hallinta
— control of the ball in a disputed sports game
Finnish:
hallussapito
— control of the ball in a disputed sports game
French:
possession
— control of the ball in a disputed sports game
German:
Ballbesitz
— control of the ball in a disputed sports game
Hungarian:
birtoklás
— control of the ball in a disputed sports game
Hungarian:
labdabirtoklás
— control of the ball in a disputed sports game
Romanian:
posedare
— control of the ball in a disputed sports game
Swedish:
bollinnehav
— control of the ball in a disputed sports game
