potence

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English

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Middle French potence (power, a crutch), from Latin potentia (power, in Medieval Latin also crutch), from potens (powerful); see potent.

Noun

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potence (countable and uncountable, plural potences)

  1. Power or strength; potency.
  2. A stud that acts as a support of a pivot in a watch or clock.

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Anagrams

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Czech

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Latin potis.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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potence f

  1. potency

Declension

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Further reading

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  • potence”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
  • potence”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989

French

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Etymology

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Inherited from Old French, borrowed from Latin potentia.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /pɔ.tɑ̃s/
  • Audio (Paris):(file)
  • Audio:(file)

Noun

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potence f (plural potences)

  1. (construction) post and braces
  2. gallows, gibbet (for hanging)
  3. stem (component on a bicycle)

Usage notes

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Beware that this is a false friend, meaning “gallows” (or similar wooden constructions), not “strength”, from the Middle Latin meaning “crutch” of potentia.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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Anagrams

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