Words / C1

LAYTNT/ˈleɪtnt/

Latent means present but not yet active or visible: latent talent, a latent fault. Hidden and dormant are cousins; potential is everyday for talent. Late (already in the dictionary) is a lookalike. Do not call an already blazing error latent.

Meaning

Present but not yet active, visible, or developed.

Examples

• “Latent errors sat in the join until Monday traffic hit.”
• “Hidden is everyday. Dormant is sleeping. Potential talent is the everyday twin of latent talent. Patent (obvious / a legal right) is almost an opposite in the “visible” sense. A live outage is not latent.”

Good to know

Hidden for now; not yet showing. Everyday: hidden / potential. Contrast: patent (obvious). Mix-up: late. A live failure is not latent.

Near in meaning

hidden

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