LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

potentia1

potentia f (genitive potentiae)
Classical[pɔˈtɛn.ti.a]Ecclesiastical[poˈtɛn.t͡si.a]

Meaning

  1. feminineforce, power, might
  2. feminineability, capacity
  3. femininepolitical power, authority, influence, sway
  4. femininesupreme dominion, sovereignty
    ‘haec est, cui fuerat prōmissa potentia rērum,“Is this [that city] to which had been promised the sovereignty of the world, O Jupiter? Is this [that city] you were about to impose [as a ruler] upon nations?” (Mars (mythology) is addressing Jupiter (mythology).)8 CE, Ovidius, Fasti 6.359–360
  5. Medieval Latinfemininecrutch, walking aid

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Potentia · Potentatus · Potestas · Vis · Robur

Potentia, potentatus, and potestas (πότνιος) denote an exterior power, which acts by means of men, and upon men; whereas vis and robur denote an interior power and strength, independent of the co-operation and good-will of others. Potentia denotes a merely factitious power, which can be exerted at will, like δύναμις; potentatus, the exterior rank of the ruler, which is acknowledged by those who are subject to him, like δυναστεία; potestas, a just and lawful power, with which a person is entrusted, like ἐξουσία. Tac. Ann. xiii. 19. Nihil tam fluxum est quam fama potentiæ non sua vi nixæ. Vis (ἴς) is the strength which shows itself in moving and attacking, as an ability to constrain others, like κράτος; robur (from ἐῤῥῶσθαι) the strength which shows itself in remaining quiet, as an ability to resist attack, and remain firm, like ῥώμη. (v. 83.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativepotentiapotentiae
genitivepotentiaepotentiārum
dativepotentiaepotentiīs
accusativepotentiampotentiās
ablativepotentiāpotentiīs
vocativepotentiapotentiae

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

paucorum dominatio or potentia
oligarchy.
opes, gratiam, potentiam consequi
to acquire influence.

pŏtentĭa, ae, f. potens,
I. might, force, power.
I. Lit. (class.; cf.: potestas, opes): armorum tenendorum potentia, Liv. 21, 54 fin.: potentia solis Acrior, Verg. G. 1, 92: ventosa, Ov. Am. 2, 16, 27: formae, id. M. 10, 573: morbi, id. ib. 7, 537: occulti miranda potentia fati, Juv. 7, 200.—
B. Transf., efficacy, virtue (poet. and in postAug. prose): herbarum, Ov. M. 1, 522: dictamni, Plin. 25, 8, 53, § 94: potentia achatae contra scorpiones, id. 37, 10, 54, § 142: aquarum, id. 31, 1, 1, § 1.—
II. Trop.
A. In gen., ability, faculty, capacity (post-class.): supra humanam potentiam magnitudine animi praeditus, Just. 12, 16, 1: facultas videndi, Cels. 7, 7, 13 fin.: audiendi, id. 7, 8: loquendi, id. 7, 12, 4.—
B. Political power, authority, sway, influence (class.): potentia est ad sua conservanda et alterius obtinenda idonearum rerum facultas, Cic. Inv. 2, 56, 169: postquam divitiae honori esse coeperunt, et eas gloria, imperium, potentia sequebatur, Sall. C. 12, 1; Caes. B. G. 6, 14: erant in magnā potentiā, qui consulebantur, were in great authority, Cic. Mur. 11, 25: potentiam alicujus criminari, id. Mil. 5, 12: singularis, the rule of an individual, monarchical power, Nep. Dion, 9, 5: rerum, supreme dominion, sovereignty, Ov. M. 2, 259.—In plur.: contra periculosissimas hominum potentias, Cic. Cael. 9, 22.—
III. In abl.: potentiā, virtually, Boethius, Analyt. Post. 1, 24.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*pótis
  2. Proto-Italic*potis
  3. Latinpotentia

Proto-Indo-European *-éh₁tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ēō Proto-Italic *potēō Proto-Italic *potēnts Latin potēns Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin potentia From potēns (“able, powerful”) + -ia (“abstract noun suffix”).

Descendants
  • Englishin potentia
  • Englishpotency
  • Italianpotenza
  • Englishpotencefrom Old French potence
  • Frenchpotencefrom Old French potence
  • Portuguesepotência
  • Romanianpotență
  • Romanianputință
  • Spanishpotencia
  • Asturianpudencia

In English words that came into English from potentia

  • potentialpotentialis
  • potencypotentia
  • potencepotentia
proper noun · femininefirst declension
Potentia2
Potentia f sg (genitive Potentiae)
Classical[pɔˈtɛn.ti.a]Ecclesiastical[poˈtɛn.t͡si.a]

Meaning

  1. femininesingulara city in interior Lucania, situated in the valley of the Casuentus, now Potenza
  2. femininesingulara town in Picenum, situated on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, now Potenza Picena

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativePotentia—
genitivePotentiae—
dativePotentiae—
accusativePotentiam—
ablativePotentiā—
vocativePotentia—
locativePotentiae—

Pŏtentĭa, ae, f.
I. A town in Picenum, now S. Maria di Potenza, Liv. 39, 44; Cic. Har. Resp. 28, 62; Plin. 3, 13, 18, § 111.—Hence,
B. Pŏtentīnus, a, um, adj., Potentian: ager, Front. Colon. p. 123 Goes.—
II. A town in Lucania, now Potenza; hence, Pŏtentīni, ōrum, m., the inhabitants of Potentia, in Lucania, Plin. 3, 11, 15, § 98.

Origins

From potentia (“force, power”).

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

GeographyPotentiaPotentia 1. (Ποτεντία: Eth. Potentinus: Sta Maria a Potenza), a town of Picenum, situated on the coast of the Adriatic, at the mouth of the river of t…

Quick answers

What does potentia mean in Latin?
potentia, a noun, means “force, power, might; ability, capacity; political power, authority, influence, sway”.
What is the genitive of potentia?
The genitive singular is potentiae. potentia is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce potentia?
In classical Latin, [pɔˈtɛn.ti.a]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [poˈtɛn.t͡si.a].
Where does potentia come from?
Proto-Indo-European *pótis → Proto-Italic *potis → Latin potentia.
Which English words come from potentia?
English words that go back to Latin potentia include potency, potence and potential.