latent

latent — adjective

1. existing in someone or something but not yet shown, active, or developed — for e

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

existing in someone or something but not yet shown, active, or developed — for example, a hidden talent, a quiet feeling of anger, or a disease that has not yet caused symptoms.

Example

Theo's latent talent for painting only emerged after a weekend art class.

latent talent — noun after latent

Scientists warn that the volcano's latent activity could become dangerous.

latent activity — of natural phenomena

Common collocations
  • latent talent
  • latent ability
  • latent anger
  • latent hostility
  • latent disease
  • latent infection
  • latent heat
  • remain latent
  • lie latent
Synonyms
  • dormant

    suggests a temporary rest state, common for volcanoes, plants, and biological processes

  • hidden

    broader term meaning simply 'not visible', without implying future emergence

  • potential

    focuses on future possibility rather than current hiddenness

  • inactive

    neutral term for 'not currently active', without the 'awaiting trigger' nuance

Antonyms
  • active

    currently operating or causing effects

  • patent

    formal term meaning 'obvious, easily visible'

Grammar Patterns

latent + noun

remain/stay/lie + latent

Usage Note

Frequently used before a noun (latent talent, latent anger), but can also follow linking verbs such as remain, stay, or lie, especially in formal or technical writing.

Common Mistakes

The volcano is latent but could erupt any day.
The volcano is dormant but could erupt any day.
For volcanoes, dormant is the standard word; latent is used for hidden qualities or conditions, not geological features.

latent — noun

Word family

  • latency
    nounC1
  • latently
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something not currently active or visible, but they differ in emphasis. Dormant suggests a temporary state of rest from which something can naturally resume — a dormant volcano can erupt, a dormant plant can grow again. Hidden simply means out of sight, without implying the thing is waiting to become active; a hidden key may stay hidden forever. Potential focuses on future possibility rather than current hiddenness — a potential leader may never actually lead. Inactive is a neutral term meaning 'not doing anything' at present, without suggesting that an external trigger is needed. In forensic contexts, latent is the specific technical term for hidden fingerprints, while the other words are not used that way. For example: 'The virus was latent for a decade' (hidden and waiting to become active) vs 'The virus was dormant for a decade' (inactive but restorable) vs 'The virus was inactive for a decade' (simply not active).

dormanthidden ↗potential ↗inactive ↗

Common collocations

Prepositions

  • latent in

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Latent comes from the Latin verb latēre, meaning 'to lie hidden'. Its present participle latēns ('lying hidden') passed into English through French in the 1600s. The forensic fingerprint sense emerged in the early 20th century.