Dictionary

potentiality en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /pəˌtɛnʃiˈælɪti/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /pəˌtɛn(t)ʃiˈæləti/ (General-American)
• [-ɾi] (General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *pótis Proto-Italic *potis Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁ti Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁yeti Proto-Italic *-ējō Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ēō Proto-Italic *potēō Proto-Italic *potēnts Latin potēns Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin potentia Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Late Latin potentialisder. English potential Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Latin -itāsder. Old French -itebor. Middle English -ite English -ity English potentiality From potential + -ity.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) The quality of being or having potential.
   • A new year is filled with potentiality.
   • filled with potentiality
2. (countable) An instance of potential: any given possibility.
   • We've been prepping for years, and we like to hope that we're ready for all potentialities — as ready as one can be.
   • any and all potentialities
3. (countable, uncountable) An inherent capacity for growth or development.
4. (countable, uncountable) An aptitude amenable to development; capability.
5. (countable, uncountable) A possibility or capacity to be something, as opposed to an actuality describing what something actually is at present.
6. (countable, uncountable) Quantum potential.

Forms

Deriveds

isopotentiality · equipotentiality · bipotentiality · nonpotentiality

Relateds

potence · potency · potent · potential · potentate

Synonyms

potency