impotence en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈɪmpətəns/
Etymology
From Middle French impotence, from Latin impotentia.
Meanings
-
(uncountable, usually) Powerlessness; incapacity.
O impotence of mind, in body ſtrong!
1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 12, line 52:Near-synonyms: weakness, helplessness
Ideas that are not thus rooted in social needs are condemned to impotence, and this applies to all utopias and dreams of a perfect society.
1978 [1976], Leszek Kołakowski, translated by P[aul] S[teven] Falla, Main Currents of Marxism, volume II: The Golden Age, Oxford: Clarendon Press, translation of Główne nurty marksizmu: rozwój (in Polish), →ISBN, →OCLC, page 199:
- (uncountable, usually) Inability to copulate or beget children; sterility, erectile dysfunction, etc.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| impotency | alternative | lexicographic | |
| impotences | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (57)
sv impotens (erectile dysfunction) · uk безси́лля (powerlessness) · nl impotentie (erectile dysfunction) · hu impotencia (erectile dysfunction) · bg импотентност (erectile dysfunction) · ca impotència (erectile dysfunction) · hi नामर्दी (erectile dysfunction) · pl impotencja (erectile dysfunction) · de Machtlosigkeit (powerlessness) · hi नपुंसकता (erectile dysfunction) · mk не́моќ (powerlessness) · pt impotência (powerlessness) · hi नामर्दी (powerlessness) · fr impuissance (powerlessness) · sh impotèncija (erectile dysfunction) · fi voimattomuus (powerlessness) · be імпатэ́нцыя (erectile dysfunction) · bg безсилие (powerlessness) · pl bezsilność (powerlessness) · fr impuissance (erectile dysfunction) · hi नपुंसकता (powerlessness) · id impotensi (erectile dysfunction) · ru импоте́нция (erectile dysfunction) · es impotencia (erectile dysfunction) · mk импоте́нција (erectile dysfunction) · ro impotență (erectile dysfunction) · sh импотѐнција (erectile dysfunction) · ro lipsă de putere (powerlessness) · cs impotence (erectile dysfunction) · ca impotència (powerlessness) · de Impotenz (erectile dysfunction) · uk імпоте́нція (erectile dysfunction) · ru маломо́чие (erectile dysfunction) · pl bezsiła (powerlessness) · ar عُنَّة (erectile dysfunction) · sh pȏlna nȅmōć (erectile dysfunction) · sh spȏlna nȅmōć (erectile dysfunction) · te నపుంసకత్వము (erectile dysfunction) · ur نامردی (erectile dysfunction) · ru бесси́лие (powerlessness) · es impotencia (powerlessness) · hy իմպոտենցիա (erectile dysfunction) · de Zeugungsunfähigkeit (erectile dysfunction) · ar عَنَانَة (erectile dysfunction) · mk бе́ссилност (powerlessness) · pl impotencja (powerlessness) · mk бесси́лие (powerlessness) · sh спо̑лна не̏мо̄ћ (erectile dysfunction) · ru полово́е бесси́лие (erectile dysfunction) · pl niemoc płciowa (erectile dysfunction) · nb impotens (erectile dysfunction) · ro impotență (powerlessness) · fi impotenssi (erectile dysfunction) · sh по̑лна не̏мо̄ћ (erectile dysfunction) · be бяссі́лле (powerlessness) · my ပန်းသေရောဂါ (erectile dysfunction) · nn impotens (erectile dysfunction)