potent
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potent
strong, mighty, powerful: potent medicine; persuasive, influential: a potent argument
Not to be confused with:
portent – augury, warning, sign: portent of things to come
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
po·tent
(pōt′nt)adj.
1. Possessing inner or physical strength; powerful.
2.
a. Exerting or capable of exerting strong physiological or chemical effects: potent liquor; a potent toxin.
b. Exerting or capable of exerting strong influence; cogent: potent arguments.
3. Having great control or authority: "The police were potent only so long as they were feared" (Thomas Burke).
4. Able to achieve and maintain an erection that allows for sexual intercourse. Used of a male.
[Middle English, from Latin potēns, potent-, present participle of posse, to be able; see poti- in Indo-European roots.]
po′tent·ly adv.
po′tent·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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
[C15: from Latin potēns able, from posse to be able]
ˈpotently adv
ˈpotentness n
potent
(ˈpəʊtənt)adj
(Heraldry) heraldry (of a cross) having flat bars across the ends of the arms
[C17: from obsolete potent a crutch, from Latin potentia power]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
po•tent1
(ˈpoʊt nt)adj.
1. powerful; mighty.
2. cogent; persuasive.
3. producing powerful physical or chemical effects: a potent drug.
4. having or exercising great power or influence.
5. (of a male) capable of sexual intercourse.
[1490–1500; < Latin potent- (s. of potēns), present participle of posse to be able, have power; see -ent]
po′tent•ly, adv.
po•tent2
(ˈpoʊt nt)adj.
(of a heraldic cross) having a crosspiece at the extremity of each arm.
[1325–75; Middle English potente crutch, variant of potence < French crutch, support < Medieval Latin potentia, Latin: power, potency]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Adj. | 1. | potent - having great influence influential - having or exercising influence or power; "an influential newspaper"; "influential leadership for peace" |
2. | potent - having or wielding force or authority; "providing the ground soldier with increasingly potent weapons" powerful - having great power or force or potency or effect; "the most powerful government in western Europe"; "his powerful arms"; "a powerful bomb"; "the horse's powerful kick"; "powerful drugs"; "a powerful argument" | |
3. | potent - having a strong physiological or chemical effect; "a potent toxin"; "potent liquor"; "a potent cup of tea", "a stiff drink" effective, effectual, efficacious - producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect; "an air-cooled motor was more effective than a witch's broomstick for rapid long-distance transportation"-LewisMumford; "effective teaching methods"; "effective steps toward peace"; "made an effective entrance"; "his complaint proved to be effectual in bringing action"; "an efficacious law" fertile - capable of reproducing powerful - having great power or force or potency or effect; "the most powerful government in western Europe"; "his powerful arms"; "a powerful bomb"; "the horse's powerful kick"; "powerful drugs"; "a powerful argument" impotent - lacking power or ability; "Technology without morality is barbarous; morality without technology is impotent"- Freeman J.Dyson; "felt impotent rage" | |
4. | potent - (of a male) capable of copulation impotent - (of a male) unable to copulate |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
potent
adjective
1. powerful, commanding, dynamic, dominant, influential, authoritative a potent political force
2. persuasive, telling, convincing, effective, impressive, compelling, forceful, cogent a potent electoral message
persuasive ineffective, unconvincing
persuasive ineffective, unconvincing
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
potent
adjective2. Having a high concentration of the distinguishing ingredient:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
قوي، فَعّال
mocnýsilný
kraftig
öflugur
potencija
spēcīgsstiprs
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
potent
adj drink, drug, charm, motive etc → stark; argument, reason etc → durchschlagend; weapon, combination, image → stark, mächtig, durchschlagend; reminder → stark, beeindruckend; man → potent; ruler → mächtig
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
potent
(ˈpəutənt) adjective powerful; strong. a potent drink.
ˈpotency nounKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
po·tent
a. potente, fuerte; eficaz, que posse potencia.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
potent
adj potenteEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.