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⇱ potent - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

potent

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈpəʊtənt/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈpoʊtnt/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(pōt′nt)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
po•tent1 /ˈpoʊtnt/USA pronunciation   adj. 
  1. powerful;
    mighty:a potent air force.
  2. persuasive:potent arguments.
  3. producing powerful effects:a potent drug.
  4. (of a male) capable of having sexual relations.
See -pot-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
po•tent1  (pōt′nt),USA pronunciation adj. 
  1. powerful;
    mighty:a potent fighting force.
  2. cogent;
    persuasive:Several potent arguments were in his favor.
  3. producing powerful physical or chemical effects:a potent drug.
  4. having or exercising great power or influence:a potent factor in the economy.
  5. (of a male) capable of sexual intercourse.
  • Latin potent- (stem of potēns), present participle of posse to be able, have power; see -ent
  • 1490–1500
po′tent•ly, adv. 
po′tent•ness, n. 
    1. strong, puissant. See powerful. 4. influential.
    1. weak. 4. ineffectual.
po•tent2  (pōt′nt),USA pronunciation [Heraldry.]
n. 
  1. Heraldrya fur having a pattern of-shaped forms, placed in alternate directions and having alternating tinctures, one metal and one color, so that all forms of one tincture face the same way and are between, above, and below forms of the other tincture facing the other way.
  2. Heraldrya-shaped form used in potent or counterpotent.

adj. 
  1. Heraldry(of a cross) having a crosspiece at the extremity of each arm:a cross potent.
  • Medieval Latin potentia, Latin: power, potency
  • French crutch, support
  • Middle English potente crutch, variant of potence 1325–75

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
potent /ˈpəʊtənt/ adj
  1. possessing great strength; powerful
  2. (of arguments, etc) persuasive or forceful
  3. influential or authoritative
  4. tending to produce violent physical or chemical effects: a potent poison
  5. (of a male) capable of having sexual intercourse
Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin potēns able, from posse to be ableˈpotently adv
'potent' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

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