Capable of being but not yet in existence; latent: a potential problem.
Having possibility, capability, or power.
Grammar Of, relating to, or being a verbal construction with auxiliaries such as may or can; for example, it may snow.
n.
The inherent ability or capacity for growth, development, or coming into being.
Something possessing the capacity for growth or development.
Grammar A potential verb form.
Physics The work required to move a unit of positive charge, a magnetic pole, or an amount of mass from a reference point to a designated point in a static electric, magnetic, or gravitational field; potential energy.
[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; see potent.]
potential difference
n.
Symbol V
The amount of energy per unit charge needed to move a charged particle from a reference point to a designated point in a static electric field; voltage. Also called potential.
1398, "possible" (as opposed to actual), from L.L. potentialis "potential," from L. potentia "power" (see potent). The noun, meaning "that which is possible," is first attested 1817, from the adj.
possible; that may develop into the thing mentioned Example: That hole in the road is a potential danger.
Arabic:
مُمْكِن، مُحْتَمَل، كامِن
Chinese (Simplified):
潜在的
Chinese (Traditional):
潛在的
Czech:
možný
Danish:
mulig; potentiel
Dutch:
potentieel
Estonian:
võimalik
Finnish:
mahdollinen
French:
en puissance
German:
potentiell
Greek:
πιθανός, ενδεχόμενος
Hungarian:
lehetséges, potenciális
Icelandic:
mögulegur
Indonesian:
potensial
Italian:
potenziale
Japanese:
可能な
Korean:
가능한, 잠재적인
Latvian:
potenciāls; iespējams
Lithuanian:
galimas, potencialus
Norwegian:
eventuell; potensiell, mulig
Polish:
potencjalny
Portuguese (Brazil):
potencial
Portuguese (Portugal):
potencial
Romanian:
potenţial
Russian:
потенциальный, возможный
Slovak:
možný
Slovenian:
možen, potencialen
Spanish:
potencial
Turkish:
potansiyel, olası
potential[pəˈtenʃəl]noun
the possibility, or likelihood, of successful development (in a particular way) Example: The land has great farming potential; He shows potential as a teacher.
Ac"tu*al\ (#; 135), a. [OE. actuel, F. actuel, L. actualis, fr. agere to do, act.]1. Involving or comprising action; active. [Obs.] Her walking and other actual performances. --Shak. Let your holy and pious intention be actual; that is . . . by a special prayer or action, . . . given to God. --Jer. Taylor. 2. Existing in act or reality; really acted or acting; in fact; real; -- opposed to potential, possible, virtual, speculative, conceivable, theoretical, or nominal; as, the actual cost of goods; the actual case under discussion. 3. In action at the time being; now exiting; present; as the actual situation of the country. Actual cautery. See under Cautery. Actual sin (Theol.), that kind of sin which is done by ourselves in contradistinction to "original sin." Syn: Real; genuine; positive; certain. See Real.
Fa"ther\, n. [OE. fader, AS. f[ae]der; akin to OS. fadar, D. vader, OHG. fatar, G. vater, Icel. Fa?ir Sw. & Dan. fader, OIr. athir, L. pater, Gr. ?????, Skr. pitr, perh. fr. Skr. p[=a] protect. ???,???. Cf. Papa, Paternal, Patriot, Potential, Pablum.]1. One who has begotten a child, whether son or daughter; a generator; a male parent. A wise son maketh a glad father. --Prov. x. 1. 2. A male ancestor more remote than a parent; a progenitor; especially, a first ancestor; a founder of a race or family; -- in the plural, fathers, ancestors. David slept with his fathers. --1 Kings ii. 10. Abraham, who is the father of us all. --Rom. iv. 16. 3. One who performs the offices of a parent by maintenance, affetionate care, counsel, or protection. I was a father to the poor. --Job xxix. 16. He hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house. --Gen. xiv. 8. 4. A respectful mode of address to an old man. And Joash the king og Israel came down unto him [Elisha], . . . and said, O my father, my father! --2 Kings xiii. 14. 5. A senator of ancient Rome. 6. A dignitary of the church, a superior of a convent, a confessor (called also father confessor), or a priest; also, the eldest member of a profession, or of a legislative assembly, etc. Bless you, good father friar ! --Shak. 7. One of the chief esslesiastical authorities of the first centuries after Christ; -- often spoken of collectively as the Fathers; as, the Latin, Greek, or apostolic Fathers. 8. One who, or that which, gives origin; an originator; a producer, author, or contriver; the first to practice any art, profession, or occupation; a distinguished example or teacher. The father of all such as handle the harp and organ. --Gen. iv. 21. Might be the father, Harry, to that thought. --Shak. The father of good news. --Shak. 9. The Supreme Being and Creator; God; in theology, the first person in the Trinity. Our Father, which art in heaven. --Matt. vi. 9. Now had the almighty Father from above . . . Bent down his eye. --Milton. Adoptive father, one who adopts the child of another, treating it as his own. Apostolic father, Conscript fathers, etc. See under Apostolic, Conscript, etc. Father in God, a title given to bishops. Father of lies, the Devil. Father of the bar, the oldest practitioner at the bar. Fathers of the city, the aldermen. Father of the Faithful. (a) Abraham. --Rom. iv. --Gal. iii. 6-9. (b) Mohammed, or one of the sultans, his successors. Father of the house, the member of a legislative body who has had the longest continuous service. Most Reverend Father in God, a title given to archbishops and metropolitans, as to the archbishops of Canterbury and York. Natural father, the father of an illegitimate child. Putative father, one who is presumed to be the father of an illegitimate child; the supposed father. Spiritual father. (a) A religious teacher or guide, esp. one instrumental in leading a soul to God. (b) (R. C. Ch.) A priest who hears confession in the sacrament of penance. The Holy Father (R. C. Ch.), the pope.
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