latent

1 of 2

adjective

la·tent ˈlā-tᵊnt How to pronounce latent (audio)

: present and capable of emerging or developing but not now visible, obvious, active, or symptomatic

a latent infection

latently adverb

latent

2 of 2

noun

la·tent ˈlā-tᵊnt How to pronounce latent (audio)

: a fingerprint (as at the scene of a crime) that is scarcely visible but can be developed for study

called also latent fingerprint, latent print

Example Sentences

Adjective On the ground in Afghanistan there is some latent, if wary, gratitude for American aid over the years, but no one expects to build a foundation for the Taliban's downfall on a couple of million rice cakes.

Michael Duffy, Time, 15 Oct. 2001 There were such inexhaustible possibilities still before her, such opportunities to bring out the latent graces of the old place, without a single irreverent touch of alteration, that the winter months were all too short to plan what spring and autumn executed.

Edith Wharton, Afterward, 1910 Calm, gentle, passionless, as he appeared, there was yet, we fear, a quiet depth of malice, hitherto latent, but active now, in this unfortunate old man, which led him to imagine a more intimate revenge than any mortal had ever wreaked upon an enemy.

Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, 1850 he has a latent talent for acting that he hasn't had a chance to express yet

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Brexit, like Queen Elizabeth, is often explained away as an artifact of latent British imperialism.

Tom Mctague, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2022 The pandemic contained but did not eliminate the risk of a latent social explosion.

Fox News, 28 June 2022 Nordica set the benchmark for accessible or latent power in 2019 with the Enforcer 104 Free.

Heather Schultz, Outside Online, 4 Mar. 2021 Ballistic missiles have gone from being a latent Iranian capability to a threat against both U.S. troops and oil markets.

NBC News, 29 Nov. 2021 This is probably latent freeze damage from last February.

Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Oct. 2021 Parents and grandparents constitute a massive if latent political force (over 63 million American parents have a minor living under their roof).

Elliot Haspel, The New Republic, 26 Aug. 2021 The latent conflict between his show business lifestyle and his ingrained religious beliefs came to a head during a 1957 tour of Australia.

Richard Cromelin, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2020 The isolation imposed by the coronavirus has awakened a latent homesteading spirit within many of us.

Emily Heil, Houston Chronicle, 23 Apr. 2020

Noun

Written and directed by Kasi Lemmons and starring Jurnee Smollett early in her career, this movie is definitely more cerebral, exploring the terror latent in the slipperiness of memory and perception.

Lea Anderson, Men's Health, 29 Aug. 2022 Our mission is to discover the latent talent of the subculture.

Patrick Frater, Variety, 6 July 2022 The show might seriously consider a further restructure ahead of next year’s ceremony — if only to avoid the latent irony of their long-form honor carrying on as one of their most fleeting.

Sydney Urbanek, Billboard, 2 Aug. 2022 In Lyme, Wentworth finally confronts Anne about their latent feelings for each other.

Lauren Puckett-pope, ELLE, 16 July 2022 While grocers’ latent adoption of online may have helped create the gaps in the market and encouraged an extraordinary bloom of disruptive players, the lion’s share of value is still held by conventional food service companies.

Barry Clogan, Forbes, 15 July 2022 Additionally, 80 latent fingerprints collected at the time of Houts' death were reexamined by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Identification Unit, which matched Woodward.

Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY, 13 July 2022 Finding a cure for HIV is a major scientific challenge because even when reduced to low levels with medication, the virus can hide from the body’s immune system, going latent in certain cells.

Betsy Mckay, WSJ, 27 July 2022 So will latent cases, where the bacteria remains dormant in the body.

Emily Schwing, Anchorage Daily News, 8 May 2022 See More

latent

adjective

as in dormant

not being in a state of use, activity, or employment he has a latent talent for acting that he hasn't had a chance to express yet

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

dormant
off
unused
idle
vacant
inactive
inert
at rest
dead
free
inoperative
fallow
out of commission
quiescent
useless
suspended
unoccupied
on the shelf
interrupted
arrested
unusable
comatose
abeyant
slow
moribund
asleep
lifeless
unworkable
inoperable
sleepy
dull

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

active
operative
operating
operational
functional
functioning
on
alive
employed
busy
working
workable
going
operable
living
vigorous
industrious
energetic
useful
practical
viable
running
feasible
assiduous
usable
sedulous
useable

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of latent are dormant, potential, and quiescent. While all these words mean "not now showing signs of activity or existence," latent applies to a power or quality that has not yet come forth but may emerge and develop.

a latent desire for success

While the synonyms dormant and latent are close in meaning, dormant suggests the inactivity of something (such as a feeling or power) as though sleeping.

their passion had lain dormant

While in some cases nearly identical to latent, potential applies to what does not yet have existence or effect but is likely soon to have.

a potential disaster

In some situations, the words quiescent and latent are roughly equivalent. However, quiescent suggests a usually temporary cessation of activity.

the disease was quiescent

单词	latent
释义	latent 1 of 2 adjective la·tent ˈlā-tᵊnt : present and capable of emerging or developing but not now visible, obvious, active, or symptomatic a latent infection latently adverb latent 2 of 2 noun la·tent ˈlā-tᵊnt : a fingerprint (as at the scene of a crime) that is scarcely visible but can be developed for study called also latent fingerprint, latent print Synonyms Adjective dead dormant fallow free idle inactive inert inoperative off unused vacant See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Adjective On the ground in Afghanistan there is some latent, if wary, gratitude for American aid over the years, but no one expects to build a foundation for the Taliban's downfall on a couple of million rice cakes. Michael Duffy, Time, 15 Oct. 2001 There were such inexhaustible possibilities still before her, such opportunities to bring out the latent graces of the old place, without a single irreverent touch of alteration, that the winter months were all too short to plan what spring and autumn executed. Edith Wharton, Afterward, 1910 Calm, gentle, passionless, as he appeared, there was yet, we fear, a quiet depth of malice, hitherto latent, but active now, in this unfortunate old man, which led him to imagine a more intimate revenge than any mortal had ever wreaked upon an enemy. Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, 1850 he has a latent talent for acting that he hasn't had a chance to express yet Recent Examples on the Web Adjective Brexit, like Queen Elizabeth, is often explained away as an artifact of latent British imperialism. Tom Mctague, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2022 The pandemic contained but did not eliminate the risk of a latent social explosion. Fox News, 28 June 2022 Nordica set the benchmark for accessible or latent power in 2019 with the Enforcer 104 Free. Heather Schultz, Outside Online, 4 Mar. 2021 Ballistic missiles have gone from being a latent Iranian capability to a threat against both U.S. troops and oil markets. NBC News, 29 Nov. 2021 This is probably latent freeze damage from last February. Neil Sperry, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Oct. 2021 Parents and grandparents constitute a massive if latent political force (over 63 million American parents have a minor living under their roof). Elliot Haspel, The New Republic, 26 Aug. 2021 The latent conflict between his show business lifestyle and his ingrained religious beliefs came to a head during a 1957 tour of Australia. Richard Cromelin, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2020 The isolation imposed by the coronavirus has awakened a latent homesteading spirit within many of us. Emily Heil, Houston Chronicle, 23 Apr. 2020 Noun Written and directed by Kasi Lemmons and starring Jurnee Smollett early in her career, this movie is definitely more cerebral, exploring the terror latent in the slipperiness of memory and perception. Lea Anderson, Men's Health, 29 Aug. 2022 Our mission is to discover the latent talent of the subculture. Patrick Frater, Variety, 6 July 2022 The show might seriously consider a further restructure ahead of next year’s ceremony — if only to avoid the latent irony of their long-form honor carrying on as one of their most fleeting. Sydney Urbanek, Billboard, 2 Aug. 2022 In Lyme, Wentworth finally confronts Anne about their latent feelings for each other. Lauren Puckett-pope, ELLE, 16 July 2022 While grocers’ latent adoption of online may have helped create the gaps in the market and encouraged an extraordinary bloom of disruptive players, the lion’s share of value is still held by conventional food service companies. Barry Clogan, Forbes, 15 July 2022 Additionally, 80 latent fingerprints collected at the time of Houts' death were reexamined by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Identification Unit, which matched Woodward. Scott Gleeson, USA TODAY, 13 July 2022 Finding a cure for HIV is a major scientific challenge because even when reduced to low levels with medication, the virus can hide from the body’s immune system, going latent in certain cells. Betsy Mckay, WSJ, 27 July 2022 So will latent cases, where the bacteria remains dormant in the body. Emily Schwing, Anchorage Daily News, 8 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology Adjective and Noun Middle English, from Latin latent-, latens, from present participle of latēre to lie hidden; akin to Greek lanthanein to escape notice First Known Use Adjective 15th century, in the meaning defined above Noun 1920, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing latent latent heat latent root latent period latent heat latent root latent period Kids Definition latent adjective la·tent ˈlā-tᵊnt : present but not visible or active a latent infection Medical Definition latent adjective la·tent ˈlāt-ᵊnt : existing in hidden or dormant form: as a : present or capable of living or developing in a host without producing visible symptoms of disease a latent virus a latent infection b : not consciously expressed latent anxiety c : relating to or being the latent content of a dream or thought Legal Definition latent adjective la·tent ˈlāt-ᵊnt : existing in hidden or dormant form but usually capable of being brought to light compare patent latent adjective as in dormant not being in a state of use, activity, or employment he has a latent talent for acting that he hasn't had a chance to express yet Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance dormant off unused idle vacant inactive inert at rest dead free inoperative fallow out of commission quiescent useless suspended unoccupied on the shelf interrupted arrested unusable comatose abeyant slow moribund asleep lifeless unworkable inoperable sleepy dull Antonyms & Near Antonyms active operative operating operational functional functioning on alive employed busy working workable going operable living vigorous industrious energetic useful practical viable running feasible assiduous usable sedulous useable See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of latent are dormant, potential, and quiescent. While all these words mean "not now showing signs of activity or existence," latent applies to a power or quality that has not yet come forth but may emerge and develop. a latent desire for success While the synonyms dormant and latent are close in meaning, dormant suggests the inactivity of something (such as a feeling or power) as though sleeping. their passion had lain dormant While in some cases nearly identical to latent, potential applies to what does not yet have existence or effect but is likely soon to have. a potential disaster In some situations, the words quiescent and latent are roughly equivalent. However, quiescent suggests a usually temporary cessation of activity. the disease was quiescent
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latent

adjective

noun

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing latent

Kids Definition

adjective

Medical Definition

adjective

Legal Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser