Etymology

latent

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Today it means: Existing or present, but concealed or inactive. Full definition →

Middle English latent ← Old French latent ← Latin latēns
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromlatēns
  2. Old French · derived fromlatent
  3. Middle English · inherited fromlatent
  4. English todaylatent

From Middle English latent, latente, from Old French latent, from Latin latēns, present participle of lateō (“lie hidden”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.