potentiality

pot·ent·i·al·i·ty
P3O1T1E1N1T1I1A1L1I1T1Y4
UK/pəˌtɛnʃiˈælɪti/US/pəˌtɛn(t)ʃiˈæləti/US[-ɾi]

noun

The quality of being or having potential.

“filled with potentiality”

UncommonScrabble 17

Meanings

nounpotentiality (countable and uncountable, plural potentialities)

plural potentialities

  1. uncountableThe quality of being or having potential.

    filled with potentiality

    1 more example

    A new year is filled with potentiality.

    Synonyms: potency

  2. countableAn instance of potential: any given possibility.

    any and all potentialities

    1 more example

    We've been prepping for years, and we like to hope that we're ready for all potentialities — as ready as one can be.

  3. countableuncountableAn inherent capacity for growth or development.
  4. countableuncountableAn aptitude amenable to development; capability.
  5. countableuncountablehuman sciencesA possibility or capacity to be something, as opposed to an actuality describing what something actually is at present.
  6. countableuncountablenatural sciencesQuantum potential.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe quality of being or having potential.

Similar

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe inherent capacity for coming into being

nounan aptitude that may be developed

Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*pótis
  2. Proto-Italic*potis
  3. Proto-Italic*potēō
  4. Proto-Italic*potēnts
  5. Latinpotēns
  6. Latinpotentia
  7. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  9. Late Latinpotentialis
  10. Englishpotential
  11. Englishpotentiality

From potential + -ity.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Japanese 可能態
  • 可能態 (kanoutai)in metaphysics: dynamis

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with potentiality

All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

potentiality. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/potentiality

MLA

“potentiality.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/potentiality. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “potentiality,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/potentiality.

Source: potentiality on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.