potential

noun potentials

1. countable, uncountable A currently unrealized ability (with the most common adposition being to). Even from a young age it was clear that she had the potential to become a great musician.
2. countable, uncountable The gravitational potential: the radial (irrotational, static) component of a gravitational field, also known as the Newtonian potential or the gravitoelectric field.
3. countable, uncountable The work (energy) required to move a reference particle from a reference location to a specified location in the presence of a force field, for example to bring a unit positive electric charge from an infinite distance to a specified point against an electric field.
4. countable, uncountable A verbal construction or form stating something is possible or probable.

Similar: noumenon, spirit

adjective

1. not comparable Existing in possibility, not in actuality. The heroic man,—and is not every man, God be thanked, a potential hero?—has to do so, in all times and circumstances.
2. archaic, not comparable Being potent; endowed with energy adequate to a result And hath, in his effect, a voice potential
3. not comparable irrotational From Maxwell equations (6.20) it follows that the electric field is potential: E(r) = −gradφ(r).
4. not comparable irrotational (see potential flow on Wikipedia) The non-viscous flow of the vacuum should be potential (irrotational).
5. not comparable Referring to a verbal construction of form stating something is possible or probable.