po·ten·cy

(pōt′n-sē)

n. pl. po·ten·cies

1. The quality or condition of being potent.

2. Inherent capacity for growth and development; potentiality.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

potency

(ˈpəʊtənsɪ) or

potence

n, pl -tencies or -tences

1. the state or quality of being potent

2. latent or inherent capacity for growth or development

[C16: from Latin potentia power, from posse to be able]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

po•ten•cy

(ˈpoʊt n si)
n., pl. -cies.

1. the state or quality of being potent; strength.

2. power; authority.

3. capacity to be, become, or develop; potentiality.

4. a person or thing exerting power or influence.

[1530–40; < Latin potentia. See potent¹, -ency]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	potency - the power or right to give orders or make decisions; "he has the authority to issue warrants"; "deputies are given authorization to make arrests"; "a place of potency in the state" authority, authorization, authorisation, say-so, dominance power of appointment - authority given (in a will or deed) by a donor to a donee to appoint the beneficiaries of the donor's property control - power to direct or determine; "under control" carte blanche - complete freedom or authority to act command - the power or authority to command; "an admiral in command" imperium - supreme authority; absolute dominion lordship - the authority of a lord muscle - authority or power or force (especially when used in a coercive way); "the senators used their muscle to get the party leader to resign" sovereignty - the authority of a state to govern another state
	2.	potency - capacity to produce strong physiological or chemical effects; "the toxin's potency"; "the strength of the drinks" effectiveness, strength power, powerfulness - possession of controlling influence; "the deterrent power of nuclear weapons"; "the power of his love saved her"; "his powerfulness was concealed by a gentle facade"
	3.	potency - the inherent capacity for coming into being potential, potentiality possibleness, possibility - capability of existing or happening or being true; "there is a possibility that his sense of smell has been impaired" latency - the state of being not yet evident or active prospect, chance - the possibility of future success; "his prospects as a writer are excellent"
	4.	potency - the state of being potent; a male's capacity to have sexual intercourse potence physical condition, physiological condition, physiological state - the condition or state of the body or bodily functions impotence, impotency - an inability (usually of the male animal) to copulate

potency

noun

1. influence, might, force, control, authority, energy, potential, strength, capacity, mana (N.Z.) the extraordinary potency of his personality

2. persuasiveness, force, strength, muscle, effectiveness, sway, forcefulness, cogency, impressiveness His remarks have added potency given the current situation.

3. power, force, strength, effectiveness, efficacy The potency of the wine increases with time.

4. vigour, puissance Alcohol abuse in men can reduce sexual potency.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

potency

noun

1. The state or quality of being physically strong:

brawn, might, muscle, potence, power, powerfulness, puissance, sinew, strength, thew (often used in plural).

2. Capacity or power for work or vigorous activity:

animation, energy, force, might, power, puissance, sprightliness, steam, strength.

Informal: get-up-and-go, go, pep, peppiness, zip.

3. The power or capacity to produce a desired result:

effect, effectiveness, effectuality, effectualness, efficaciousness, efficacy, efficiency, influence.

Translations

فَعّاليَّه

síla

kraftmagtstyrke

Stärke Kraft Macht Potenz

potencia

kykypotenssivaltavoima

puissance

potencia

kraftur

potency

[ˈpəʊtənsɪ] N → potencia f; [of drink] → fuerza f; [of remedy] → eficacia f (Physiol) → potencia f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

potency

[ˈpəʊt^ənsi] n

(= power) [personality, ideas, symbol, book, film] → force f

[drink] → degré m d'alcool; [drug, poison, chemical] → puissance f

[man] → virilité f
sexual potency → puissance sexuelle

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

potency

n (of drink, drug, charm etc) → Stärke f; (of argument, reason etc) → Durchschlagskraft f; (of weapon, combination, image) → Schlagkraft f; (of man) → Potenz f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

potency

[ˈpəʊt/ənsɪ] n (see adj) → potenza, validità; (of drink) → forza

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

potent

(ˈpəutənt) adjective

powerful; strong. a potent drink.

ˈpotency noun

po·ten·cy

n. fuerza, potencia, potencia sexual.

potency

n (pl -cies) potencia

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Like a subtle and mysterious elixir poured into the perishable clay of successive generations, it grows in truth, splendour, and potency with the march of ages.

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So that when I shall hereafter detail to you all the specialities and concentrations of potency everywhere lurking in this expansive monster; when I shall show you some of his more inconsiderable braining feats; I trust you will have renounced all ignorant incredulity, and be ready to abide by this; that though the Sperm Whale stove a passage through the Isthmus of Darien, and mixed the Atlantic with the Pacific, you would not elevate one hair of your eye-brow.

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Gathering in Green River valley Visitings and feastings of leaders Rough wassailing among the trappers Wild blades of the mountains Indian belles Potency of bright beads and red blankets Arrival of supplies Revelry and extravagance Mad wolves The lost Indian

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He mentally lifted up this vow as if it would urge the result he longed for-- he tried to believe in the potency of that prayerful resolution-- its potency to determine death.

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Wherefore I diligently pretended, unto this and that and the other one, that your power against the sun could not reach its full until the morrow; and so if any would save the sun and the world, you must be slain to-day, while your enchantments are but in the weaving and lack potency. Odsbodikins, it was but a dull lie, a most indifferent invention, but you should have seen them seize it and swallow it, in the frenzy of their fright, as it were sal- vation sent from heaven; and all the while was I laughing in my sleeve the one moment, to see them so cheaply deceived, and glorifying God the next, that He was content to let the meanest of His creatures be His instrument to the saving of thy life.

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Having in this way secured three new recipes, four magical powders and a selection of herbs of wonderful power and potency, she hobbled home as fast as she could, in order to test her new sorceries.

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When Georgiana recovered consciousness she found herself breathing an atmosphere of penetrating fragrance, the gentle potency of which had recalled her from her deathlike faintness.

"Do not mistrust me, dearest," said her husband, smiling; "its virtuous potency is yet greater than its harmful one.

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But now her spirit resembled, in its potency, a minute quantity of ottar of rose in one of Hepzibah's huge, iron-bound trunks, diffusing its fragrance through the various articles of linen and wrought-lace, kerchiefs, caps, stockings, folded dresses, gloves, and whatever else was treasured there.

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He therefore still kept up a familiar intercourse with him, daily receiving he old physician in his study, or visiting the laboratory, and, for recreation's sake, watching the processes by which weeds were converted into drugs of potency.

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It was a strength we are wont to associate with things primitive, with wild animals, and the creatures we imagine our tree-dwelling prototypes to have been--a strength savage, ferocious, alive in itself, the essence of life in that it is the potency of motion, the elemental stuff itself out of which the many forms of life have been moulded; in short, that which writhes in the body of a snake when the head is cut off, and the snake, as a snake, is dead, or which lingers in the shapeless lump of turtle-meat and recoils and quivers from the prod of a finger.

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Anxious to know the worst, and willing, in such an emergency, to try the potency of gold he overcame his reluctance to speak to Magua.

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