possession

UK: /pəˈzɛʃ^ən/ US: /pəˈzɛʃən/ ,(pə zesh′ən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pos•ses•sion /pəˈzɛʃən/   n. 

1. the act or fact of possessing:
   [uncountable] She took possession of the house.
2. the state of being possessed:
   [uncountable] possession by the devil.
3. [uncountable] ownership.
4. a thing possessed or owned:
   [countable] They stole her only possession, a little teddy bear.
5. possessions, [plural] property or wealth.
6. Government a part of the territory of a nation:
   [countable] islands and other small possessions in the Pacific.
7. Sport [uncountable]
   • control of the ball or puck by a player or team.
   • the right of a team to put the ball into play:
     The Giants have possession of the ball.
8. control over oneself, etc.:
   [uncountable] Was he in full possession of his faculties?

See -sess-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pos•ses•sion  (pə zesh′ən), n. 

1. the act or fact of possessing.
2. the state of being possessed.
3. ownership.
4. Law actual holding or occupancy, either with or without rights of ownership.
5. a thing possessed:
   He packed all his possessions into one trunk.
6. possessions, property or wealth.
7. Government a territorial dominion of a state.
8. Sport
   • physical control of the ball or puck by a player or team:
     He didn't have full possession when he was tackled.
   • the right of a team to put the ball into play:
     They had possession after the other team sank a free throw.
9. control over oneself, one's mind, etc.
10. domination, actuation, or obsession by a feeling, idea, etc.
11. the feeling or idea itself.

• Latin possessiōn- (stem of possessiō) occupancy, act of occupying, equivalent. to possess(us), past participle of possidēre to have in one's control, occupy (and, in active sense, past participle of posīdere to seize upon) (*pots-, akin to posse to be able + -sidēre, combining form of sedēre to sit¹; compare host¹) + -iōn- -ion
• Middle English 1300–50

Synonyms

• 1. tenure, occupation.
• 1, 3. See custody. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

possession / pəˈzɛʃən/ noun

1. the act of possessing or state of being possessed: in possession of the crown
2. anything that is owned or possessed
3. (plural) wealth or property
4. the state of being controlled or dominated by or as if by evil spirits
5. the physical control or occupancy of land, property, etc, whether or not accompanied by ownership: to take possession of a house
6. a territory subject to a foreign state or to a sovereign prince: colonial possessions
7. control of the ball, puck, etc, as exercised by a player or team: he lost possession in his own half