A latent ability that may or may not be developed; possibility.
Physics: The → work required to
→ move a unit
positive → charge, unit magnetic pole,
or an amount of → mass
respectively from → infinity (i.e. a place infinitely distant
from the causes of the field) to a designated point.
Gravitational potential is always negative, but the electric or magnetic potentials
may be positive or negative.
(adj.) Capable of being or becoming, as opposed to → actual.
See also:
→ chemical potential,
→ electric scalar potential,
→ electromagnetic potential,
→ equipotential surface,
→ excitation potential,
→ gravitational potential energy,
→ ionization potential,
→ kinetic potential,
→ magnetic vector potential,
→ potential barrier,
→ potential density,
→ potential difference,
→ potential energy,
→ potential energy curve,
→ potential field,
→ potential gradient,
→ potential well,
→ potentiality,
→ retarded potential,
→ scalar potential,
→ thermodynamic potential,
→ Yukawa potential.
Etymology (EN): From L.L. potentialis “potential,” from L. potentia “power,”
potis “powerful, able, capable;” cognate with
Av. paiti- “lord, husband;” Mod.Pers. -bad (sepah-bad
“general, commander of an army”); Skt. páti-
“master, husband;” Gk. posis “husband;” Lith. patis “husband.”
Etymology (PE): Tavand, from tav- + -vand. The first component tav-
is the stem of tavân “power, strength,” tavânestan “to be powerful,
able;” variants tâv, tâb, (dialects) tew “power;” Mid.Pers. tuwan
“power, might;” O.Pers. tav- “to have power, to be strong, to be able,”
tauman- “power, strength,” tunuvant- “powerful;”
Av. tauu- (tu-) “to be able, strong,”
tavah- “power,” təviši- “strength” (Mod.Pers.
tuš “power, ability”);
Skt. tavi- “to be strong, to have authority,”
tavas-, tavisa- “strong, energetic,” tavisi- “power, strength;”
Gk. taus, saos “healthy;” L. tumere “to be swollen;” PIE
*teu- “to swell, be strong.” The second component -vand
a suffix of adjectives and agent nouns, → actual.
Note: Tavand used as both noun and adjective, such as honarmand (n.)
and mard-e honarmand (adj.).
