puissance
Americannoun
noun
-
a competition in showjumping that tests a horse's ability to jump a limited number of large obstacles
-
archaic power
Etymology
Origin of puissance
1375–1425; late Middle English < Middle French, equivalent to puiss ( ant ) puissant + -ance -ance
Explanation
Puissance is the power to influence what other people do or believe. A celebrity who is extremely popular with teens has puissance to help end problems like bullying just by talking about it in interviews. Puissance is a French word that describes being powerful. When you have a strong influence over someone, you have puissance. It's an uncommon but poetic way to describe power, especially the power to convince someone to do something, like an older sibling's puissance. Another meaning of puissance is a show jumping horse's ability to jump large hurdles.
Vocabulary lists containing puissance
Henry IV, Part 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Stardust
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation (Volume 2)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Maher won the Christmas Cracker and Christmas Puissance on Thursday, although the latter does not count towards the leading rider race.
From BBC • Dec. 21, 2012
Maher took his day's earnings past £10,000 by capturing the Alltech Christmas Puissance title.
From BBC • Dec. 20, 2012
It intoxicated him to hear this tenor with Tamburini, Lablache, and Madame Grisi; while Nourrit's song, Ce Rameau qui donne la Puissance et l'Immortalite in Robert le Diable made his flesh creep.
From Balzac by Lawton, Frederick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
