English · Word Candidate

potential

/pəˈtɛnʃəl/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: potentials

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

A currently unrealized ability (with the most common adposition being to).

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

khả năng chưa được thực hiện

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

Even from a young age it was clear that she had the potential to become a great musician.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

The gravitational potential: the radial (irrotational, static) component of a gravitational field, also known as the Newtonian potential or the gravitoelectric field.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

thành phần hướng tâm của trường hấp dẫn

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Existing in possibility, not in actuality.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

tồn tại trong khả năng, không phải thực tại

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

The heroic man,—and is not every man, God be thanked, a potential hero?—has to do so, in all times and circumstances.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

irrotational

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

không tạo ra chuyển động tròn

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

From Maxwell equations (6.20) it follows that the electric field is potential: E(r) = −gradφ(r).

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “potential” mean?

A currently unrealized ability (with the most common adposition being to).

Is “potential” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.