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potential
| Babylon English | Download this dictionary |
potential
adj.
possible, capable of becoming, able to be
n.
possibility; ability; capability of being; possible energy (Electricity)
| English Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia | Download this dictionary |
Potential
Potential generally refers to a currently unrealized ability. The term is used in a wide variety of fields, from physics to the social sciences to indicate things that are in a state where they are able to change in ways ranging from the simple release of energy by objects to the realization of abilities in people. Examples include:
- In linguistics, the potential mood
- The mathematical study of potentials is known as potential theory; it is the study of harmonic functions on manifolds. This mathematical formulation arises from the fact that, in physics, the scalar potential is irrotational, and thus has a vanishing Laplacian — the very definition of a harmonic function.
- In physics, a potential may refer to the scalar potential or to the vector potential. In either case, it is a field defined in space, from which many important physical properties may be derived.
- Leading examples are the gravitational potential and the electric potential, from which the motion of gravitating or electrically charged bodies may be obtained.
- Specific forces have associated potentials, including the Coulomb potential, the van der Waals potential, the Lennard-Jones potential and the Yukawa potential.
- In electrochemistry there are Galvani potential, Volta potential, electrode potential, standard electrode potential.
- In thermodynamics potential refers to thermodynamic potential.
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| WordNet 2.0 | Download this dictionary |
potential
Noun
1. the inherent capacity for coming into being
(synonym) potentiality, potency
(hypernym) possibility, possibleness
(hyponym) latency
(attribute) possible
2. the difference in electrical charge between two points in a circuit expressed in volts
(synonym) electric potential, potential difference, potential drop, voltage
(hypernym) electrical phenomenon
(hyponym) evoked potential
Adjective
1. existing in possibility; "a potential problem"; "possible uses of nuclear power"
(synonym) possible
(antonym) actual, existent
(similar) latent
(attribute) potentiality, potency
2. expected to become or be; in prospect; "potential clients"; "expected income"
(synonym) expected, likely
(similar) prospective
| Babylon German-English | Download this dictionary |
Potential (das)
n.
(new spell.=Potenzial) potential, ability, possibility, latent power, hidden characteristics, concealed attributes
| Babylon English-Czech | Download this dictionary |
potential
příd.jm.
možný; potenciální
n.
potenciál
