potent

adjective

1. 1

   Powerful; possessing power; effective.

   harsh and potent injuries

   Little disappointed, then, she turned attention to "Chat of the Social World," gossip which exercised potent fascination upon the girl's intelligence.

   When the party reach the bridegroom's house on their return, his mother and the other women come out, and burn a little mustard and human hair in a lamp, the unpleasant smell emitted by these articles being considered potent to drive away evil spirits.

   Still today, 400 years on, they remain potent wounds indeed: “When I think of what Oñate did to the Acoma Pueblo,” said a member of Sandia Pueblo in 1998 during the fourth centennial of his conquest, “I have a vision of Indian men lined up to have one foot cut off.”

2. 2

   Powerful; possessing power; effective. Possessing authority or influence; persuasive, convincing.

   a potent argument

   Moses once more his potent rod extends.

   Moreover, her going was a sufficient reason for Hortense accompanying her; and Mazarin hoped as much from her beautiful face as from all the other potent reasons with which he had charged his negotiators.

3. 3

   Powerful; possessing power; effective. Possessing strong physical or chemical properties.

   a potent drink; a potent solvent; a potent medicine

   Richardson took over, and Mitchell proceeded to the refreshment room in his turn, but when he came back some ten minutes later, it was evident that he had been indulging in something more potent than coffee, and he was in a very muddled state.

4. 4

   Able to procreate.

5. 5

   Able to differentiate.

noun

1. 1

   obsoleteA prince; a potentate.

   Cry, havock , kings! back to the stained field, You equal potents

2. 2

   obsoleteA staff or crutch.

3. 3

   A heraldic fur formed by a regular tessellation of blue and white T shapes.

Forms

plural

potents

comparative

more potent

superlative

most potent