latent

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la·tent

 (lāt′nt)
adj.
1. Present or potential but not evident or active: latent talent. See Synonyms at inactive.
2. Medicine Present but not symptomatic: a latent virus.
3. Biology Being in a condition of biological rest or inactivity characterized by cessation of growth or development and the suspension of many metabolic processes: a latent bud.
4. 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.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin latēns, latent-, present participle of latēre, to lie hidden.]

la′tent·ly adv.
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.

latent

(ˈleɪtənt)
adj
1. potential but not obvious or explicit
2. (Botany) (of buds, spores, etc) dormant
3. (Pathology) pathol (esp of an infectious disease) not yet revealed or manifest
4. (Pathology) (of a virus) inactive in the host cell, its nucleic acid being integrated into, and replicated with, the host cell's DNA
5. (Psychoanalysis) psychoanal relating to that part of a dream expressive of repressed desires: latent content. Compare manifest2
[C17: from Latin latēnt-, from latens present participle of latēre to lie hidden]
ˈlatency, ˈlatence n
ˈlatently adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

la•tent

(ˈleɪt nt)

adj.
1. present but not visible, apparent, or actualized; existing as potential: latent ability.
2. (of an infectious agent or disease) remaining in an inactive or hidden phase; dormant.
[1610–20; < Latin latent-, s. of latēns, present participle of latēre to lie hidden]
la′tent•ly, adv.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.latent - potentially existing but not presently evident or realized; "a latent fingerprint"; "latent talent"
potential, possible - existing in possibility; "a potential problem"; "possible uses of nuclear power"
2.latent - (pathology) not presently active; "latent infection"; "latent diabetes"
pathology - the branch of medical science that studies the causes and nature and effects of diseases
inactive - (pathology) not progressing or increasing; or progressing slowly
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

latent

adjective hidden, secret, concealed, invisible, lurking, veiled, inherent, unseen, dormant, undeveloped, quiescent, immanent, unrealized, unexpressed Advertisements attempt to project a latent meaning behind an overt message.
developed, expressed, obvious, realized, apparent, evident, manifest, conspicuous
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

latent

adjective
1. Capable of being but not yet in existence:
2. Existing in a temporarily inactive form or state:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
كامِن، مُسْتَتِر
utajený
latent
lappangó
dulinn, leyndur
paslėptas
latents, apslēpts

latent

[ˈleɪtənt] ADJ [heat] → latente; [tendency] → implícito
latent defectdefecto m latente
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

latent

[ˈleɪtənt] adj
[heat] → latent(e)
[power, feeling] → latent(e)
latent defect → vice m caché
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

latent

adjlatent; strength alsoverborgen; artistic talent, ability alsoverborgen, versteckt; heat alsogebunden; energyungenutzt; the evil which is latent in all mendas in jedem Menschen latent vorhandene Böse; latent period/phase (Med, Psych) → Latenzperiode/-phase f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

latent

[ˈleɪtnt] adjlatente
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

latent

(ˈleitənt) adjective
hidden or undeveloped, but capable of being developed. a latent talent for music.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

la·tent

a. latente, presente pero no activo-a; sin síntomas aparentes; sin manifestación.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

latent

adj latente
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
But the puzzle has a real difficulty latent under it, to which Socrates will endeavour to find a reply.
Memories, as mental facts, arise from time to time, but do not, so far as we can see, exist in any shape while they are "latent." In fact, when we say that they are "latent," we mean merely that they will exist under certain circumstances.
He had detected the latent sensuality, which unfolded under his delicate sense of her nature's requirements like a torpid, torrid, sensitive blossom.
Hiding order beneath the cloak of disorder is simply a question of subdivision; concealing courage under a show of timidity presupposes a fund of latent energy; masking strength with weakness is to be effected by tactical dispositions.
And it was such vapouring all about his ears, like a troublesome confusion of blood in his own head, added to a latent uneasiness in his mind, which had already made Charles Darnay restless, and which still kept him so.
And if at times these things bent the welded iron of his soul, much more did his far-away domestic memories of his young Cape wife and child, tend to bend him still more from the original ruggedness of his nature, and open him still further to those latent influences which, in some honest-hearted men, restrain the gush of dare-devil daring, so often evinced by others in the more perilous vicissitudes of the fishery.
As far as I have been able to divine the latent meaning of the objectors, it seems to originate in a presupposition that the people will be disinclined to the exercise of federal authority in any matter of an internal nature.
At last, one pleasant morning, we steamed up the harbor of New York, all on deck, all dressed in Christian garb--by special order, for there was a latent disposition in some quarters to come out as Turks--and amid a waving of handkerchiefs from welcoming friends, the glad pilgrims noted the shiver of the decks that told that ship and pier had joined hands again and the long, strange cruise was over.
No one could look at her and doubt that she had potentialities of attraction latent within her somewhere, but that side of her nature was happily biding its time.
For my own part, I find it best to assume that a good sound scolding or castigation has some latent and strengthening influence on my Grandson's Configuration; though I own that I have no grounds for thinking so.
These were of a character to force into germination whatever seeds of hereditary superstition lay latent in my bosom.
"You see he writes," said she, showing her son a letter of Prince Andrew's, with that latent grudge a mother always has in regard to a daughter's future married happiness, "he writes that he won't come before December.