posse
UK[ˈpɒsi]US[ˈpɑːsi]
n
A group of people who are gathered together by a sheriff to help search for a criminal or keep order
n
A group of people who have a common characteristic or purpose; a gang or clique
Etymology
The word 'posse' entered English in the mid-17th century directly from the Medieval Latin phrase 'posse comitatus', meaning 'the force of the county'. The Latin word 'posse' itself is a contraction of the verb 'potis esse', meaning 'to be able'. This origin reflects the concept of a body of men who are able to be summoned for a purpose. Its journey from a Latin legal term to its iconic association with the American Wild West, where sheriffs would deputize citizens, illustrates a fascinating shift from abstract capability to a concrete, armed group. The modern, informal sense of a group or gang extends this idea of a cohesive unit gathered for a shared aim.
Analysis
This word is a loanword from Latin adopted as a whole into English. It does not contain separable morphemes within its modern English spelling.
Examples
The sheriff formed a posse to track down the escaped outlaws.
She arrived at the party with her entire posse of friends from college.
The film's climax features a dramatic showdown between the hero and the villain's posse.