Adjacent Words

Potent definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PO'TENT, a. [L. potens.] Powerful; physically strong; forcible; efficacious; as a potent medicine.
Moses once more his potent rod extends.
1. Powerful, in a moral sense; having great influence; as potent interest; a potent argument.
2. Having great authority, control or dominion; as a potent prince.
PO'TENT, n. A prince; a potentate. [Not in use.]
1. A walking staff or crutch. [Not used.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: having great influence [syn: potent, powerful]
2: having or wielding force or authority; "providing the ground soldier with increasingly potent weapons" [syn: potent, strong]
3: having a strong physiological or chemical effect; "a potent toxin"; "potent liquor"; "a potent cup of tea", "a stiff drink" [syn: potent, strong, stiff] [ant: impotent]
4: (of a male) capable of copulation [syn: potent, virile] [ant: impotent]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from Latin potent-, potens (present participle of posse to be able), from Latin potis, pote able; akin to Gothic br?thfaths bridegroom, Greek posis husband, Sanskrit pati master Date: 15th century 1. having or wielding force, authority, or influence ; powerful 2. achieving or bringing about a particular result ; effective 3. a. chemically or medicinally effective <a potent vaccine> b. rich in a characteristic constituent <a potent drink> 4. able to copulate — usually used of the male • potently adverb II. adjective Etymology: obsolete English potent crutch Date: 1610 of a heraldic cross having flat bars across the ends of the arms — see cross illustration

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. adj. 1 powerful; strong. 2 (of a reason) cogent; forceful. 3 (of a male) capable of sexual erection or orgasm. 4 literary mighty. Derivatives: potence n. potency n. potently adv. Etymology: L potens -entis pres. part. of posse be able 2. adj. & n. Heraldry --adj. 1 with a crutch-head shape. 2 (of a fur) formed by a series of such shapes. --n. this fur. Etymology: ME f. OF potence crutch f. L potentia power (as POTENT(1))

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Potent Po"tent, a. [L. potens, -entis, p. pr. of posse to be able, to have power, fr. potis able, capable (akin to Skr. pati master, lord) + esse to be. See Host a landlord, Am, and cf. Despot, Podesta, Possible, Power, Puissant.] 1. Producing great physical effects; forcible; powerful' efficacious; as, a potent medicine. ``Harsh and potent injuries.'' --Shak. Moses once more his potent rod extends. --Milton. 2. Having great authority, control, or dominion; puissant; mighty; influential; as, a potent prince. ``A potent dukedom.'' --Shak. Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors. --Shak. 3. Powerful, in an intellectual or moral sense; having great influence; as, potent interest; a potent argument. Cross potent. (Her.) See Illust. (7) of Cross. Syn: Powerful; mighty; puissant; strong; able; efficient; forcible; efficacious; cogent; influential.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Potent Po"tent, n. 1. A prince; a potentate. [Obs.] --Shak. 2. [See Potence.] A staff or crutch. [Obs.] 3. (Her.) One of the furs; a surface composed of patches which are supposed to represent crutch heads; they are always alternately argent and azure, unless otherwise specially mentioned. Counter potent (Her.), a fur differing from potent in the arrangement of the patches.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Something that is potent is very effective and powerful. Their most potent weapon was the Exocet missile... The drug is extremely potent, but causes unpleasant side effects. = powerful ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Strong, forcible, powerful, efficacious, physically strong. 2. Powerful, mighty, able, efficient, puissant, strong. 3. Influential, efficacious, cogent, powerful.

Moby Thesaurus

absolute, amorous, armipotent, ascendant, authoritarian, authoritative, authorized, autocratic, beefy, bouncing, broad-shouldered, carnal, charismatic, charming, clothed with authority, cogent, commanding, compelling, competent, concentrated, consequential, considerable, controlling, convincing, dominant, doughty, duly constituted, dynamic, effective, effectual, efficacious, eminent, empowered, enchanting, energetic, erogenic, erogenous, erotic, erotogenic, estimable, ex officio, fleshly, forceful, forcible, forcy, formidable, full-blooded, full-bodied, full-strength, gamic, governing, great, gutsy, gutty, hairychested, hale, hard, hard as nails, hardy, he-mannish, hearty, hefty, hegemonic, hegemonistic, heterosexual, high-potency, high-powered, high-pressure, high-tension, husky, imperative, important, impressive, in force, in power, influential, iron-hard, irresistible, leading, libidinal, lusty, macho, magnetic, mighty, mighty in battle, momentous, monocratic, nervy, nuptial, obstinate, official, operative, oversexed, personable, persuasive, powerful, preeminent, prepotent, prestigious, procreative, prominent, puissant, ranking, red-blooded, reputable, robust, robustious, rugged, ruling, senior, sensual, sex, sexed, sexlike, sexual, sexy, sound, stalwart, steely, stout, straight, strapping, striking, strong, strong as brandy, strong as strong, strong-willed, sturdy, suasive, substantial, superior, supreme, telling, totalitarian, ultramasculine, undersexed, valid, venereal, vigorous, virile, viripotent, vital, voluptuous, weighty, winning