Word · CEFR C1 · Frequency #7284
latent
潜在的；潜伏的；未显现的
Existing or present but hidden or not yet active.
- 1.
Existing or present but concealed or inactive.
存在但隐藏或不活跃的
- 2.
potentially existing but not presently evident or realized
潜在存在的但尚未显现或实现的
- 3.
Remaining in an inactive or hidden phase; dormant.
处于不活跃或隐藏状态；休眠的
- 4.
(pathology) not presently active
(病理学)潜伏的
- 5.
Lying dormant or hidden until circumstances are suitable for development or manifestation.
潜伏或隐藏,直到适合发展的条件出现
潜伏的（疾病）；存在但隐藏或不活跃的；潜在存在的但尚未显现或实现的；处于不活跃或隐藏状态；休眠的；(病理学)潜伏的
In use
The test can detect latent infections that show no symptoms.
He has a latent talent for painting that he never developed.
The volcano has been dormant for centuries, but its latent power is still dangerous.
a latent fingerprint
latent talent
latent infection
latent diabetes
latent + noun
用于修饰名词，表示潜在的特征或能力。
She had a latent talent for painting.
她有潜在的绘画天赋。
Connections
Collocations
- latent talent
- 潜在的才能
- She discovered a latent talent for painting after attending an art class.在参加美术课后，她发现了自己的绘画潜能。
- latent heat
- 潜热
- Latent heat is released when water vapor condenses into liquid.当水蒸气凝结成液体时，会释放潜热。
- latent infection
- 潜伏性感染
- The virus can remain as a latent infection for decades before causing symptoms.这种病毒可以潜伏感染数十年后才引发症状。
- latent period
- 潜伏期
- The disease has a latent period of several weeks after exposure.该病在接触后有数周的潜伏期。
- latent hostility
- 潜在的敌意
- Beneath their polite conversation, there was a latent hostility between them.在他们礼貌的交谈之下，彼此之间存在着潜在的敌意。
Learner notes
Memory Tip
latent 音似“累疼”，想象一个人累得疼却忍着不表现出来，这就是潜在的（latent）状态。
Context & Register
混用（学术/一般语境与医学术语）；常见于心理学、商业及医学文献；通常用于正式或专业语境，病理学中指疾病尚未发作的阶段。
Pronunciation & Spelling
Only 'patent' (pronounced /ˈpeɪtənt/) rhymes with 'latent' (/leɪtənt/). Other words ending in '-ent' (e.g., patient, different, moment, silent, recent) have different stressed vowels and do not rhyme.
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, OCTANOVE, WIKTIONARY, WORDNET.