adjective
- present but not visible, apparent, or actualized; existing as potential: latent ability.
- Pathology. (of an infectious agent or disease) remaining in an inactive or hidden phase; dormant.
- Psychology. existing in unconscious or dormant form but potentially able to achieve expression: a latent emotion.
- Botany. (of buds that are not externally manifest) dormant or undeveloped.
adjective
- potential but not obvious or explicit
- (of buds, spores, etc) dormant
- pathol (esp of an infectious disease) not yet revealed or manifest
- (of a virus) inactive in the host cell, its nucleic acid being integrated into, and replicated with, the host cell’s DNA
- psychoanal relating to that part of a dream expressive of repressed desireslatent content Compare manifest (def. 2)
adj.mid-15c., “concealed, secret,” from Latin latentem (nominative latens) “lying hid, secret, unknown,” present participle of latere “to lie hidden,” from PIE *laidh-, from root *la- “to be hidden” (cf. Greek lethe “forgetfulness, oblivion,” Old Church Slavonic lajati “to lie in wait for”). Meaning “dormant” is from 1680s. adj.
- Present or potential but not evident or active.
- In a dormant or hidden stage, as an infection.
- Undeveloped but capable of normal growth under the proper conditions.
- Present in the unconscious mind but not consciously expressed.