Meaning
What does Possy mean?
A possy is a variant of the term “posse”, used to address a large group of people sharing the same interests. It is synonymous to and “entourage”.
In colloquial speech it is used to refer to your larger circle of friends and acquaintances – people you greet when you see each other on the street, but you rarely meet up on purpose. Some also use it as an alternative to “squad”.
Urban Dictionary user nook aka powl defined it in 2005 as “The possy will be on your side in a great gangfight.”, and in modern gang culture it is used to describe gang members following a common leader.
Origin
What's the origin of Possy?
Stems from the word “posse”, a technical term in law, shortened from “posse comitatus”, meaning “power” or “authority of the county” in Latin.
It was used to define a group of citizens gathered by the local sheriff to preserve public peace, and later became the name of a group organized to reach a common goal or mission.
Spread & Usage
How did Possy spread?
In modern days, a “possy” can be a group of anything, be it kids, friends, politicians, hunters – you name it.
A movie named “Posse” was released in 1993, featuring a group, or “possy”, of 5 Buffalo Soldiers defending a town of black people from the KKK.
Famous basketball player LeBron James used the slang to refer to his business partners in 2016.
External resources
- Urban Dictionary – Possy