Etymology: < Anglo-Norman and Middle French (Flanders and Picardy) potente crutch (13th cent. in Old French), support (in politics) (15th cent.), apparently an alteration or variant of potence potence n.¹, perhaps < an unattested post-classical Latin *potenta , variant of classical Latin potentia potency n. In the sense development in English influenced by potence n.¹ and potence adj. With use as adjective compare Anglo-Norman potent (14th cent. in croix potente).Quots. a1855 at sense A. 1a and 1855 at sense A. 1a could alternatively be taken as showing later examples of potence n.¹ 3, with the ending -ence being taken as a plural ending.

Etymology: < classical Latin potent-, potēns powerful, influential, mighty, efficacious, effective, convincing, an influential person, in post-classical Latin also (of wine) strong (13th cent. in a British source), uses as adjective and noun of present participle of posse to be able (see posse n.¹). Compare French †potent (1607), Catalan potent (14th cent.), Spanish potente (13th cent.), Portuguese potente (15th cent.), Italian potente (12th cent.), all in sense ‘powerful’.It is unclear whether the following shows an earlier example of sense A. 1a or sense B. 2 or an error for potestate n. 1 or potentate n. 1:?a1425 Three Kings Cologne (Lamb. 491) (2000) 111 Of þe moost myghty potentis Nestoryns of þe londe of þe Insule..she gate þe body of Iaspar the þrid Kyng.