Potential Definition
pə-tĕnshəl
adjective
That has power; potent.
Webster's New World
That can, but has not yet, come into being; possible; latent; unrealized; undeveloped.
Webster's New World
Of, relating to, or being a verbal construction with auxiliaries such as may or can; for example, it may snow.
American Heritage
Expressing possibility, capability, power, etc.
The potential mood.
Webster's New World
(archaic) Being potent; endowed with energy adequate to a result; efficacious; influential.
And hath, in his effect, a voice potential.
Wiktionary
noun
Capacity for future success; promise.
Webster's New World
Something potential; a potentiality.
Webster's New World
The difference in voltage between two points in an electric circuit or field.
Webster's New World
The potential mood or aspect.
Webster's New World
A construction or form in this mood or aspect.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Other Word Forms of Potential
Noun
Singular:
potential
Plural:
potentialsOrigin of Potential
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Middle English potencial from Old French potenciel from Late Latin potentiālis powerful from Latin potentia power from potēns potent- present participle of posse to be able potent
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Late Latin potentialis, from Latin potentia (“power”), from potens (“powerful”); synchronically analyzable as potent + -ial.
From Wiktionary
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