potentate

The story

1. Latin · derived frompotēns“powerful, strong”
2. Late Latin · derived frompotentātus“rule, political power”
3. Middle English · inherited frompotentat
4. English todaypotentate

From Middle English potentat, from Old French, from Late Latin potentātus (“rule, political power”), from Latin potēns (“powerful, strong”), the active present participle of possum (“to be able”).