latent

[ leyt-nt ]

adjective

1. present but not visible, apparent, or activated; existing as potential:

   latent ability.

   Synonyms: veiled, quiescent, dormant

   Antonyms: active, open

2. Pathology. (of an infectious agent or disease) in a phase of being hidden or unrecognized; not yet exhibiting symptoms. Compare dormant ( def 4 ).
3. Psychology. existing in unconscious or dormant form but potentially able to achieve expression:

   latent learning,

   a latent emotion.

4. Botany. (of buds that are not externally manifest) dormant or undeveloped.

latent

/ ˈleɪtənt /

adjective

1. potential but not obvious or explicit
2. (of buds, spores, etc) dormant
3. pathol (esp of an infectious disease) not yet revealed or manifest
4. (of a virus) inactive in the host cell, its nucleic acid being integrated into, and replicated with, the host cell's DNA
5. psychoanal relating to that part of a dream expressive of repressed desires Compare manifest

   latent content

Derived Forms

• ˈlatently, adverb
• ˈlatency, noun

Other Words From

• la·tent·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of latent¹

First recorded before 1610–20; from Latin latent- (stem of latēns ), present participle of latēre “to lie hidden”; -ent

Word History and Origins

Origin of latent¹

C17: from Latin latēnt-, from latens present participle of latēre to lie hidden

Synonym Study

Latent, potential refer to powers or possibilities existing but hidden or not yet actualized. Latent emphasizes the hidden character or the dormancy of what is named: latent qualities, defects, diseases. That which is potential exists in an as yet undeveloped state, but is thought of as capable of coming into full being or activity at some future time: potential genius, tragedy. Potential may be applied also to tangibles: High-tension wires are a potential source of danger.

Example Sentences

They had found a latent palm print on her bunk bed.

From Los Angeles Times

Her case studies show how civil society campaigns have tackled the dependence of corporations on people and activated the latent power of people.

From Salon

I chalk some of this up to growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, at the tail end of the Cold War, when rooting for Shannon Miller over Svetlana Boginskaya felt like a healthy, nonviolent outlet for my latent patriotic fervor.

From Los Angeles Times

Eventually, those late-night meetings with men who treat him with welcome and rather unexpected tenderness unearth latent feelings Max doesn’t know what to do with.

From Los Angeles Times

Franz and Fiala bring out this reality’s latent horrors through a series of suspense-building strategies.

From New York Times

Related Words

• inherent
• lurking
• smoldering
• suppressed
• underlying
• unrealized
• veiled