Etymology

overpotential

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Today it means: The difference between the electric potential of an electrode or cell under the passage of a current and the thermodynamic value of the electrode or cell potential in the absence of electrolysis. Full definition →

English potential ← Late Latin potentialis ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úp
  2. Proto-Indo-European*upér
  3. Proto-Germanic*uber
  4. Old Englishofer-
  5. Middle Englishover-
  6. Englishover-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*pótis
  8. Proto-Italic*potis
  9. Proto-Italic*potēō
  10. Proto-Italic*potēnts
  11. Latinpotēns
  12. Latinpotentia
  13. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  15. Late Latinpotentialis
  16. Englishpotential
  17. English todayoverpotential

From over- + potential.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.