potency
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being potent.
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the potency of God's word.
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capacity to be, become, or develop; potentiality.
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a person or thing exerting power or influence.
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Mathematics. cardinal number.
noun
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the state or quality of being potent
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latent or inherent capacity for growth or development
Usage
What does potency mean? Potency means strength and effectiveness. It is most commonly used in the context of medications and drugs in reference to how strong or effective they are or are capable of being. It can also be used in a more general way to refer to the power or effectiveness of someone or something, such as a leader or a statement. Potency is the noun form of the adjective potent, which generally means powerful but is commonly applied to things that produce a powerful physical or chemical effect. Example: The medication will lose its potency if kept in the sunlight.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of potency
From the Latin word potentia, dating back to 1530–40. See potent 1, -ency
Explanation
Use the noun potency when you're talking about the strength of something. You could refer to the potency of a drug or the potency of a political leader. Potency is an official measurement in pharmacology, or the science of prescribing drugs. It's also useful for describing a person's power or authority over others. The Latin root word is potentia, or "power," and its origin goes all the way back to the Sanskrit word for "master or husband," patih. The word potency has historically been associated with men, but it's fine to use it to describe a woman's power too.
Vocabulary lists containing potency
The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor
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Novel Study: The Scarlet Letter, Chapters 9–15
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 17
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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.
And so I think his legal skills and experience give him some potency, that perhaps Pam Bondi lacked, in navigating the criminal justice system.
From Slate • May 4, 2026
Yet it is precisely this fragmentation that grants the epic its peculiar potency.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
But when he saw it again at the Cannes Film Festival last year, he was pleased to realize it maintains its potency.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026
By demonstrating that nanoscale structure directly influences immune potency, this research offers a framework for improving therapeutic cancer vaccines using existing components.
From Science Daily • Feb. 18, 2026
It took a day for the full potency to build up again.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
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.
