Latent

Latent
Latent La"tent (l[=a]"tent), a. [L. latens, -entis, p. pr. of latere to lie hid or concealed; cf. Gr. lanqa`nein, E. lethargy: cf. F. latent.] 1. Not visible or apparent; hidden; concealed; secret; dormant; as, latent springs of action. [1913 Webster]

The evils latent in the most promising contrivances are provided for as they arise. --Burke. [1913 Webster]

2. (Med.) Existing but not presenting symptoms; dormant or developing; -- of disease, especially infectious diseases; as, the latent phase of an infection. [PJC]

{Latent buds} (Bot.), buds which remain undeveloped or dormant for a long time, but may eventually grow.

{Latent heat} (Physics), that quantity of heat which disappears or becomes concealed in a body while producing some change in it other than rise of temperature, as fusion, evaporation, or expansion, the quantity being constant for each particular body and for each species of change; the amount of heat required to produce a change of phase.

{Latent period}. (a) (Med.) The regular time in which a disease is supposed to be existing without manifesting itself. (b) (Physiol.) One of the phases in a simple muscular contraction, in which invisible preparatory changes are taking place in the nerve and muscle. (c) (Biol.) One of those periods or resting stages in the development of the ovum, in which development is arrested prior to renewed activity. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • latent — latent, ente [ latɑ̃, ɑ̃t ] adj. • 1361; lat. latens, de latere « être caché » 1 ♦ Qui demeure caché, ne se manifeste pas mais qui est susceptible de le faire à tout moment. ⇒ 1. secret. Conflit latent, qui couve. ⇒ larvé. Homosexualité latente.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • latent — la·tent / lāt ənt/ adj: existing in hidden or dormant form but usu. capable of being brought to light compare patent Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • latent — LATÉNT, Ă, latenţi, te, adj. Care există, dar nu se manifestă în exterior, putând izbucni oricând. – Din fr. latent, lat. latens, ntis. Trimis de LauraGellner, 24.03.2008. Sursa: DEX 98  LATÉNT adj. potenţial. (Energie latent.) Trimis de siveco …   Dicționar Român

  • Latent — can refer to:* Latent heat, the amount of energy released or absorbed by a substance during a change of phase * A latent geologic fault * Latent bud, a bud in some plants that remains a bud until favourable conditions appear * Virus latency, the… …   Wikipedia

  • latent — Adj verborgen, nicht unmittelbar faßlich erw. fach. (18. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus l. latēns ( entis), dem PPräs. von l. latēre verborgen sein, versteckt sein .    Ebenso nndl. latent, ne. latent, nfrz. latent, nschw. latent, nnorw. latent. ✎ …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • latent — latent, dormant, quiescent, potential, abeyant are comparable when meaning not now manifest or not evincing signs of existence or activity. Latent implies concealment and is applied to what is present without showing itself {latent energy} {a… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • latent — [lāt′ nt] adj. [L latens, prp. of latere, to lie hidden, lurk < IE * lāidh < base * lā , to be hidden > ON lōmr, deception, Gr lēthē, forgetfulness, lanthanein, to be hidden] 1. present but invisible or inactive; lying hidden and… …   English World dictionary

  • latent — latent, ente (la tan, tan t ) adj. 1°   Terme technique. Qui est caché. Chaleur latente, chaleur qui n est point sensible au thermomètre (voy. calorique).    Terme de médecine. Maladie latente, maladie dont le diagnostic est obscur, qui ne… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • latent — UK US /ˈleɪtənt/ adjective [before noun] ► present, but not yet active, developed, or obvious: »latent capability/talent/skill …   Financial and business terms

  • latent — »vorhanden, aber noch nicht in Erscheinung tretend; versteckt, verborgen; ohne typische Merkmale (besonders von Krankheiten)«: Das Adjektiv wurde im 18. Jh. aus gleichbed. frz. latent entlehnt, das auf lat. latens (latentis), dem Part. Präs. von… …   Das Herkunftswörterbuch

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