potential

CEFRB1

/pəˈtɛnʃəl/

adjective · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Possible in the future, although not yet certain.

  2. 02

    noun

    The ability or chance to develop into something better.

Examples

  • Education aims to develop potential abilities.

  • The university interviews all potential candidates.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /po(ʊ)ˈtɛnʃəl/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. The gravitational potential: the radial (irrotational, static) component of a gravitational field, also known as the Newtonian potential or the gravitoelectric field.

  2. The work (energy) required to move a reference particle from a reference location to a specified location in the presence of a force field, for example to bring a unit positive electric charge from an infinite distance to a specified point against an electric...

noun

Extra meaning

  1. A currently unrealized ability (with the most common adposition being to).

More examples

In context

  • Those children are potential customers.

  • Even from a young age it was clear that she had the potential to become a great musician.

  • Comrades, our own fleet doesn't know our full potential. They will do everything possible to test us, but they will only test their own embarrassment.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The young athlete has great blank to become a professional player in the future.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Late Latin potentialis, from Latin potentia (“power”), from potens (“powerful”). By surface analysis, potent + -ial.