different between capable vs potent

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French capable, from Late Latin cap?bilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ke?p?bl?/

Adjective

capable (comparative more capable, superlative most capable)

1. Able and efficient; having the ability needed for a specific task; having the disposition to do something; permitting or being susceptible to something.

2. (obsolete) Of sufficient capacity or size for holding, containing, receiving or taking in; accessible to. Construed with of, for or an infinitive.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:skillful

Antonyms

• incapable

Derived terms

• capability (noun)

Translations

References

• John A. Simpson and Edward S. C. Weiner, editors (1989) , “capable”, in The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Clarendon Press, ?ISBN

Anagrams

• pacable

French

Etymology

From Latin capabilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ka.pabl/

Adjective

capable (plural capables)

1. able, capable

See also

• cap'

Further reading

• “capable” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

From Middle English potent, borrowed from Latin potens, potentis (“powerful, strong, potent”), present participle of posse (“to be able”), from potis (“able, powerful, originally a lord, master”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p??t(?)nt/
• (General American) enPR: p?t?nt IPA^(key): /?po?t(?)nt/, [?p?o???n?t], [-n??]
• Rhymes: -??t?nt
• Hyphenation: po?tent

Adjective

potent (comparative more potent, superlative most potent)

1. Possessing strength.

   • Little disappointed, then, she turned attention to "Chat of the Social World," gossip which exercised potent fascination upon the girl's intelligence.

2. Powerfully effective.

3. Having a sharp or offensive taste.
4. (of a male) Able to procreate.
5. Very powerful or effective.

Translations

Noun

potent (plural potents)

1. (obsolete) A prince; a potentate.
2. (obsolete) A staff or crutch.
3. (heraldry) A heraldic fur formed by a regular tessellation of blue and white T shapes.

Antonyms

• impotent
• (heraldry): counterpotent

Derived terms

• idempotent
• nilpotent
• omnipotent
• pluripotent
• unipotent
• ventripotent
• equipotent

Related terms

• potence
• potency
• potentate
• potential
• potentiality
• potentiate
• potenty, potente

Further reading

• potent in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• potent in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• nettop, top ten

Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin potens, potentem.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /po?tent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /pu?ten/

Adjective

potent (masculine and feminine plural potents)

1. powerful
2. potent (capable of sexual intercourse)

Further reading

• “potent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Dutch

Etymology

Ultimately from Latin potens. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /po??t?nt/
• Hyphenation: po?tent
• Rhymes: -?nt

Adjective

potent (not comparable)

1. (of males) capable of procreation, potent

Inflection

Antonyms

• impotent

Related terms

• potentaat
• potentiaal
• potentie
• potentieel

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /po?t?nt/

Adjective

potent (comparative potenter, superlative am potentsten)

1. potent

Declension

Derived terms

• impotent
• präpotent

Latin

Verb

p?tent

1. third-person plural present active subjunctive of p?t?

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin potens, potentem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /po?tent/

Adjective

potent m or n (feminine singular potent?, masculine plural poten?i, feminine and neuter plural potente)

1. (literary) potent, strong, vigorous, virile

Declension

Related terms

• puternic
• poten??
• putin??
• putea
• putere

Swedish

Adjective

potent

1. potent, being effective in small quantities.

Declension

Related terms

• potens
• potential