potent: [15] Latin posse (source of English posse and possible) meant ‘be able or powerful’. It was a conflation of an earlier verbal phrase potis esse ‘be able’. The precursor of posse was Old Latin *potēre, whose present participle potēns survived to become the present participle of posse. And its stem form potent- has given English potent, potentate [14], and potential [14]. Power also comes from *potēre. => posse, possible, potentate, potential, power
potent (adj.)
early 15c., from Latin potentem (nominative potens) "powerful," present participle of *potere "be powerful," from potis "powerful, able, capable; possible;" of persons, "better, preferable; chief, principal; strongest, foremost," from PIE root *poti- "powerful, lord" (cognates: Sanskrit patih "master, husband," Greek posis, Lithuanian patis "husband"). Meaning "having sexual power" is first recorded 1899.
双语例句
1. Alcohol is a potent drug that anaesthetizes the brain.
酒精是一种能麻醉大脑的烈性药物。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Their most potent weapon was the Exocet missile.
飞鱼导弹是他们最有攻击力的武器。
来自柯林斯例句
3. a very potent alcoholic brew
烈性酒精饮料
来自《权威词典》
4. The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.
这药物对你的病疗效很大.
来自《简明英汉词典》
5. The medicine is potent enough to produce the desired effect.