Etymology: (1350–1400; ME potencial (< OF) < LL potentiālis. See potency , -al1)
Definition of 'Potential'
Princeton's WordNet
1. (noun)potential, potentiality, potency the inherent capacity for coming into being
2. (adj)electric potential, potential, potential difference, potential drop, voltage the difference in electrical charge between two points in a circuit expressed in volts
3. (adj)potential, possible existing in possibility "a potential problem"; "possible uses of nuclear power"
4. (adj)likely, potential expected to become or be; in prospect "potential clients"
1. (noun)potential the possibility that exists within sb or sth to develop into sth He has the potential to be a great singer.; a new drug that may have potential as a cure for some cancers; students who have not reached/realized their full potential
2. potential the possibility of sth happening the potential for a flu epidemic; the potential for improvement
3. (adjective)potential having a possibility of happening, being, or doing sth potential problems with the idea; potential home buyers; a potentially difficult situation
Definition of 'Potential'
Webster Dictionary
1. (adj)Potential being potent; endowed with energy adequate to a result; efficacious; influential
2. (adj)Potential existing in possibility, not in actuality
3. (noun)Potential anything that may be possible; a possibility; potentially
4. (noun)Potential in the theory of gravitation, or of other forces acting in space, a function of the rectangular coordinates which determine the position of a point, such that its differential coefficients with respect to the coordinates are equal to the components of the force at the point considered; -- also called potential function, or force function. It is called also Newtonian potential when the force is directed to a fixed center and is inversely as the square of the distance from the center
5. (noun)Potential the energy of an electrical charge measured by its power to do work; hence, the degree of electrification as referred to some standard, as that of the earth; electro-motive force
Definition of 'Potential'
The Standard Electrical Dictionary
1. Potential Potential in general may be treated as an attribute of a point in space, and may express the potential energy which a unit mass would have if placed at that point.
This conception of potential is that of a property attributable to a point in space, such that if a unit mass were placed there the forces acting upon it would supply the force factor of energy, while the body would supply the mass factor. This property is expressible in units, which produce, if the supposed mass is a unit mass, units of work or energy, but potential itself is neither.
Thus taking gravitation, a pound mass on the surface of the earth (assuming it to be a sphere of 4,000 miles radius) would require the expenditure of 21,120,000 foot pounds to remove it to an infinite distance against gravity. The potential of a point in space upon the surface of the earth is therefore negative and is represented by -21,120,000*32.2 foot poundals (32.2 = acceleration of gravity). (See Poundal.) In practice and conventionally all points on the earth's surface are taken as of zero potential.
[Transcriber's note; 21,120,000 foot pounds is about 8 KWh.]
Definitions of Potential 
Afrikaans: potensieel
Arabic: مُمْكِن، مُحْتَمَل، كامِن
Bulgarian: възможен
Brazilian: potencial
Czech: možný
German: potentiell
Danish: mulig; potentiel
Greek: πιθανός, ενδεχόμενος
Spanish: potencial
Estonian: võimalik
Farsi: بالقوه
Finnish: mahdollinen
French: en puissance
Hebrew: פּוֹטֶנצִיאָל, אֶפשָׁרִי
Hindi: सामर्थ्य
Croatian: moguć, potencijalan
Hungarian: lehetséges, potenciális
Indonesian: potensial
Icelandic: mögulegur
Italian: potenziale
Japanese: 可能な
Korean: 잠재적인
Lithuanian: galimas, potencialus
Latvian: potenciāls; iespējams
Malay: berpotensi
Dutch: potentieel
Norwegian: eventuell; potensiell, mu
Polish: potencjalny
Persian: پوتانسيل
Pashto: پوتانسيل
Portuguese: potencial
Romanian: potenţial
Russian: потенциальный, возможный
Slovak: možný
Slovenian: možen, potencialen
Serbian: potencijalni
Swedish: potentiell, möjlig
Thai: ที่อาจเกิดขึ้นได้
Turkish: potansiyel, olası
Taiwanese: 潛在的
Ukrainian: потенційний; можливий
Urdu: زبردست
Vietnamese: tiềm năng
Chinese: 潜在的
