possessory
Americanadjective
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of or relating to a possessor or to possession.
registration of possessory claims.
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arising from possession.
a possessory interest.
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having possession.
possessory landholdings.
adjective
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of, relating to, or having possession
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law arising out of, depending upon, or concerned with possession
a possessory title
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of possessory
1375–1425; late Middle English < Late Latin possessōrius, equivalent to Latin possed-, stem of possidēre to possess ( see possession) + -tōrius -tory 1, with dt > ss
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The company is appealing, arguing it doesn’t meet the qualifications to have a possessory interest.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 23, 2023
“It seems to recognize that a former president has a possessory interest in terms of documents.”
From Washington Post • Sep. 5, 2022
The part of these dating codes that I dislike is the possessory interest it gives our friends over third parties.
From New York Times • Aug. 23, 2018
TV does that—that powerful, possessory bond with the audience.
From The New Yorker • Sep. 21, 2015
Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut claimed largely, but without possessory right.
From The Relations of the Federal Government to Slavery Delivered at Fort Wayne, Ind., October 30th 1860 by Edgerton, Joseph K. (Joseph Ketchum)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.