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If something is latent, it is already there, but it is hiding. It may wake up later, or it may only show when the conditions are right.
If something is latent如果某個東西是latent（潛在的）, it is already there代表它已經存在了, but it is hiding只是躲著。It may wake up later它可能之後才會醒過來, or it may only show when the conditions are right或者只有在條件對了的時候才會顯現出來。
A latent talent is a gift you have not used yet. A latent infection is in the body but not making you ill right now. In science class, latent heat is energy stored in a change of state, not felt as extra warmth on the skin.
A latent talenta latent talent（潛在的天賦） is a gift you have not used yet是一種你還沒用過的天分。A latent infectiona latent infection（潛伏性感染） is in the body已經在身體裡 but not making you ill right now但現在還沒讓你生病。In science class在自然課裡, latent heat is energy stored in a change of statelatent heat（潛熱）是儲存在物質狀態改變裡的能量, not felt as extra warmth on the skin不是皮膚感覺得到的額外熱度。
The tidy meaning is present, but not active and not seen. People sometimes use it loosely for secret or possible; those are nearby, but they leave out the important part — it is not imaginary. It is there.
The tidy meaning is present整齊一點的定義是：存在, but not active and not seen但沒有在運作，也看不見。People sometimes use it loosely for secret or possible人們有時候會鬆散地把它用來指secret（秘密）或possible（可能）; those are nearby, but they leave out the important part這兩個意思很接近，但它們漏掉了重要的一點 — it is not imaginarylatent不是想像出來的。It is there它是真的存在的。
It is a grown-up, slightly scientific word. You would not call a latent.
It is a grown-up, slightly scientific word這是一個比較成熟、帶點科學味道的字。You would not call a biscuit latent你不會把一片餅乾叫做latent。
And though the letters look a little like late, they are not the same family: late is about time; latent is about lying hidden.
And though the letters look a little like late而且雖然拼法看起來有點像late, they are not the same family它們不是同一家族: late is about time這裡的late跟時間有關; latent is about lying hidden而latent跟躲藏、潛伏有關。
組成From Latin latēns, from lateō, “lie hidden”. English kept that picture: there, but not in the open.
同家族的字
- latencythe noun for this hidden or waiting state
原始詞典資料7 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
latentadj/ˈleɪ.tənt/
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Existing or present, but concealed or inactive.
- There is known latent demand for rail freight and the rail freight industry is working with Scottish businesses to develop new rail freight services, as environmental concerns are beginning to change the logistics choices of Scottish producers.
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biologymedicinemicrobiologyRemaining in an inactive or hidden phase; dormant.
- 2008 July 2, Joe Palca, “Scientists Make Herpes Breakthrough”, abstract, All Things Considered, National Public Radio Those infected with a herpes virus are infected for life. That’s because the virus goes "latent." Sometimes, it awakes from its slumber, producing painful illnesses.
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biologynatural-sciencesLying dormant or hidden until circumstances are suitable for development or manifestation.
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datedLatently homosexual.
latentnoun/ˈleɪ.tənt/
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The residue left by a person's finger that can be made visible by a process such as powder dusting; a latent fingerprint.
- Once the latent prints have been visualized by the superglue and powder dusting techniques, they should be photographed again. Then the developed latents need to be lifted and placed on backing cards. The latent cards are documented by putting the case number, date and time of lifting, initials of person processing the evidence, and a sketch indicating the location of the lifted latent print on the back of the lift card, as shown in Photo 6.6.
- Paralegal workers do not argue cases in court, and these crimescene fingerprint gatherers do not compare crime-scene latents to known prints of suspects and present their findings in court.
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mathematicssciencesstatisticsAn underlying cause that can be inferred from statistical correlations; factor.
- These kinds of latents define the invariant dispositional properties enabling prediction and control of the external environment. Finally, there are the latents that underlie manifestation as relationships of power, as cause to effect, condition to occurrence, or dependent variable to independent variable.
- That is, the observed covariance between indicator y₁ and y₃ would mirror the understandable causal behavior of the corresponding underlying latents.
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Anything that is latent.
- Even if latents may not be actually detectable in any given situation, they may nevertheless be present in it. Latents may become actual if proper triggering conditions are in place, or they may be lost in the process.
- After we discovered Leah and I realized what she was, the flood gates opened. More and more latents have been discovered, as well as cubs.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。