Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- adj. Present or potential but not evident or active: latent talent.
- adj. Pathology In a dormant or hidden stage: a latent infection.
- adj. Biology Undeveloped but capable of normal growth under the proper conditions: a latent bud.
- adj. Psychology Present and accessible in the unconscious mind but not consciously expressed.
- n. A fingerprint that is not apparent to the eye but can be made sufficiently visible, as by dusting or fuming, for use in identification.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Hidden; concealed; not visible or apparent; not manifested: as, latent motives; latent germs of disease.
- In botany, dormant or undeveloped: said of buds which are not externally manifest until stimulated to growth.
- Synonyms Covert, Occult, etc. See secret.
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- adj. Not visible or apparent; hidden; concealed; secret; dormant.
- adj. (Med.) Existing but not presenting symptoms; dormant or developing; -- of disease, especially infectious diseases.
WordNet 3.0
- adj. potentially existing but not presently evident or realized
- adj. (pathology) not presently active
Etymologies
- From Latin latens, latentis, present participle of lateo ("lie hidden"). (Wiktionary)
- Middle English, from Old French, from Latin latēns, latent-, present participle of latēre, to lie hidden. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“Energy used for evapotranspiration is generally referred to as latent heat flux; however, the term latent heat flux is broad, and includes other related processes unrelated to transpiration including condensation (e.g., fog, dew), and snow and ice sublimation.”
“Some persons do not like the term latent energy, and speak of energy which is not in action as possible or potential.”
“The term latent typically refers to something that is dormant, not observable, or not yet realized.”
“This symbolizes what I call latent radicalism," said Ayesha Siddiqa, a scholar and commentator, referring to public support for Qadri.”
“Interestingly enough, ingestion can be followed by what they call a latent period of six to twenty hours.”
I is for Innocent
“The diseased Allen grafts are still in the tree, are now 15 years old, and are more or less alive, but in very poor condition, with the signs as found in what I call the latent form.”
“Not only that, she's an expert in latent homosexuality.”
“By the same token, the victims of corruption seem to be waiting, silently, in latent mode, for "their turn.”
“What do you call the latent fascist, uh, the last fashion on the streets”
“Avoid long-term latent effects Protect yourself with an exam today”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘latent’.
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4087 more...
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SCIE - mathematics
The most frequent words in the titles of mathematical books and journals (www.sciencedirect.com)
nonparametric, nonparametric sta..., multivariate anal..., partial different..., multivariate, topology, stochastic, differential equa..., linear algebra, harmonic analysis, applied mathematics, combinatorial and 205 more...
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1100
abound, technology, branch of knowled..., prognosticate, automaton, matron, an older married ..., realm, special field of ..., kingdom, annals, historical records and 981 more...
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GRE Barron's 800
abate, abdicate, aberrant, abeyance, abject, abjure, abscission, abscond, abstemious, abstinence, abysmal, accretion and 787 more...
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Words from Blood Meridian
visage, affray, scullery, miasma, mirth, purlieu, tacit, benighted, wickiup, corral, amble, accoutre and 210 more...
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GRE 2014
abase, abate, abdicate, aberrant, abeyance, abhor, abjure, abortive, abound, abrasive, abreast, abridge and 1577 more...
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ghost
This is Ghost List 2 ( the kind that go 'boo!' ) :P
( open list )
more:
http://www.wordnik.com/lists/macabrephantom, spectral, specter, spectre, spooky, poltergeist, haunt, spirit, banshee, cryptic, shadow, phantasm and 311 more...
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Words build meanings from origins( et...
These come from gamma meditation ,I think.
discursive, exogenous, machinations, purportedly, sumptuous, congruity, cantankerous, incongruous, festoon, hessian, ratiocinative, stratigraphic and 2057 more...
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Philosophic , etymology
every major discipline has uniquely developed esoteric nomenclature to facilitate interdisciplinary dissemination
quale , qualia, elegy, tacet, lexicon, annunciate, caste, eros, contrive, purlicue, irony, venacular, dilapidate and 569 more...
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Introverted
Quiet, shy, Introverted, reserved, isolated, mysterious
abashed, alienated, alone, anonymous, antisocial, ascetic, asocial, austere, autonomous, awkward, bashful, clannish and 91 more...
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Ecology
apishamore, argonaut, latent, unbacked, dichotomy, noctilucent, assoil, animalcule, succinct, vespertine, crozzle, vermilion and 15 more...
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SAT Master Vocab List
Words I have come across that I don't know the meaning of!
rumination, contrition, extemporize, effusion, exult, vexed, sumptuous, punitive, brethren, harridan, macabre, acrid and 123 more...
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to memorize
words i need to memorize
aberrant, abscond, advocate, aggrandize, amalgamate, ambiguous, ambrosial, anomalous, antediluvian, antipathy, arbitrate, assuage and 163 more...
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writing first chapter
revolve, vital, necessity, depict, archery, indegenous, native, lacrosse, similarly, recess, composition, indicator and 91 more...
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Words from Moby Dick
frigate, presumptuous, genteel, succor, hearthstone, gentry, factitious, bilious, insurgent, portent, enervate, genuflect and 303 more...
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Good for Academics
Gahh!! Study!
supplant, usurp, finagle, winnow, draconian, abut, collude, swindle, objectify, incite, decadent, obstinate and 327 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for latent.
Louises Nature livens to the latent animal, concedes you contain a divine fragment of the pantheistic whole, that you are, at least in part, part of it. From "The Last Werewolf" by Glen Duncan. Mar 5, 2012