in potentia

UK/ˌɪn pɒˈtɛnʃɑː/Latinate/ˌin poˈten.ti.aː/

adverb

Potentially; in posse but not in esse.

OriginLatin in potentia →
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Meanings

adverbin potentia (not comparable)

alternative in potentiâ

  1. not comparablePotentially; in posse but not in esse.

Origin

  1. Latinin potentia
  2. Englishin potentia

Borrowed from Latin in potentia, from in (“in”) + potentiā, ablative singular form of potentia (“force; power”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

in potentia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20potentia

MLA

“in potentia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20potentia. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in potentia,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20potentia.

Source: in potentia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.