Potencies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The various capacities or powers for producing effects or results in a particular context
2. The inherent abilities or strengths of entities to exert influence or generate change in a given situation
3. The different degrees of capability or effectiveness that entities possess in achieving particular outcomes

Etymology: "Potencies" is simply the plural of "potency", so it is the plural form of a noun that arrived in English as a borrowing from Latin "potentia", meaning power or ability. The Latin root is "potens", "powerful", which is the same root behind "potent" and "potentate". "Potenza", the Italian word for power or might, is a doublet of "potency": the two words descend from the same Latin source but reached their current forms through different routes. In English, the noun has kept the sense of capacity or force, and the plural "potencies" is used for measurable degrees of that force, such as the strengths of drugs, medicines, or alcoholic drinks. It is a plain, transparent plural; the interest lies in the family of related words built from "potens".

Synonyms: powers, capabilities, abilities

Antonyms: weaknesses, impotence