sleeping power

noun

A power which is unused, or which has not been exercised for a long time; especially one which is extensive, but little-known.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounsleeping power (plural sleeping powers)

plural sleeping powers

  1. in pluralgovernmentA power which is unused, or which has not been exercised for a long time; especially one which is extensive, but little-known.
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see sleeping, power.

Origin

From sleeping (“dormant”) + power.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

sleeping power. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleeping%20power

MLA

“sleeping power.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleeping%20power. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sleeping power,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sleeping%20power.

Source: sleeping power on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.