latente

latent; dormant

adjective lah-TEN-teh Rare

Origin: From Latin latentem, present participle of latere (to lie hidden).

Usage Note

Latente describes something that exists but is not yet manifest or active — conflitto latente (latent conflict), tubercolosi latente (latent tuberculosis). It is a formal, learned adjective; in everyday conversation nascosto or sottile may be preferred. The plural is latenti for both genders.

Examples

"C'è una tensione latente tra i due gruppi."

Natural Translation

There is a latent tension between the two groups.

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