puissant

[ pyoo-uh-suhnt, pyoo-is-uhnt, pwis-uhnt ]
See synonyms for puissant on Thesaurus.com
adjectiveLiterary.
  1. powerful; mighty; potent.

Origin of puissant

1
1400–50; late Middle English <Middle French <Vulgar Latin *possent- (stem of *possēns), for Latin potent- (stem of potēns), present participle of posse to be able, have power; see potent1, -ant

Other words from puissant

  • pu·is·sant·ly, adverb
  • o·ver·pu·is·sant, adjective
  • o·ver·pu·is·sant·ly, adverb

Words Nearby puissant

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How to use puissant in a sentence

  • For he deemed a lady so much sought after must needs be a puissant dame.

  • Then they were seated behind him, and the puissant horses shot off down the Corso and towards the Bastioni at a magnificent pace.

    The Devourers | Annie Vivanti Chartres
  • High, puissant and redoubtable seigneur of Nointel, Jacques Bonhomme pardons you for the outrage he perpetrated upon you!

  • No more wars: puissant Ladies, shew conditions And freely I accept 'em.

  • Half an hour later, Haward rose from his chair and bowed low as to some highborn and puissant dame.

    Audrey | Mary Johnston

British Dictionary definitions for puissant

puissant

/ (ˈpjuːɪsənt) /


adjective
  1. archaic, or poetic powerful

Origin of puissant

1
C15: from Old French, ultimately from Latin potēns mighty, from posse to have power

Derived forms of puissant

  • puissantly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012