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impotent

 
Dictionary: im·po·tent   (ĭm'pə-tənt) pronunciation
adj.
  1. Lacking physical strength or vigor; weak.
  2. Lacking in power, as to act effectively; helpless: "Technology without morality is barbarous; morality without technology is impotent" (Freeman J. Dyson).
    1. Incapable of sexual intercourse, often because of an inability to achieve or sustain an erection.
    2. Sterile. Used of males.
  3. Obsolete. Lacking self-restraint.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin impotēns, impotent- : in-, not; see in-1 + potēns, potent; see potent.]

impotently im'po·tent·ly adv.

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Thesaurus: impotent
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adjective

  1. Lacking power or strength: helpless, powerless. See ability/inability, help/harm/harmless.
  2. Not capable of accomplishing anything: helpless, inadequate, incapable, ineffectual, powerless, weak. See ability/inability, strong/weak.
  3. Unable to produce offspring: barren, childless, infertile, sterile, unfruitful. See rich/poor.

Antonyms: impotent
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adj

Definition: disabled; unable to perform action
Antonyms: able, capable, fertile, potent, productive, strong


Word Tutor: impotent
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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: Helpless, lacking in power. Also: Sterile. Used of males.

pronunciation Anger is the most impotent of passions. It effects nothing it goes about, and hurts the one who is possessed by it more than the one against whom it is directed. — Edward Hyde, English statesman and historian.

Translations: Impotent
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Dansk (Danish)
adj. - impotent, afmægtig, magtesløs, kraftløs, svag
n. - impotens, være impotent

Nederlands (Dutch)
impotent, onmachtig

Français (French)
adj. - (lit, fig) impuissant
n. - impuissant

Deutsch (German)
adj. - impotent, kraftlos, hilflos
n. - impotente Person

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - ανίσχυρος, αδύναμος, ανήμπορος, σεξουαλικά ανίκανος, (νομ.) ανίκανος για δικαιοπραξία
n. - σεξουαλικά ανίκανος

Italiano (Italian)
impotente

Português (Portuguese)
adj., -
n. - impotente

Русский (Russian)
бессильный, бесплодный, импотент

Español (Spanish)
adj. - impotente, incapaz, débil
n. - impotente

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - maktlös, oförmögen, impotent (äv. fysiol.)
n. - impotent person

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
无力的, 无效的, 虚弱的

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 無力的, 無效的, 虛弱的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 무력한, 허약한, (남성이) 성교 불능의
n. - 무력한 사람, 발기 불능자

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 無力の, 無気力な, …する力のない, 性的不能の, インポテンツの

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) ضعيف, عنين (الاسم) العنين : الذي لا ينجب‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮חסר כוח, חסר כוח-גברא, אימפוטנט, חסר-אונים, עקר‬


 
 
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Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
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