la
tent
1
present but not yet visible or fully developed
- She had a latent talent for painting that emerged later in life.
- His latent ambition surfaced after years of quiet dedication.
- The crisis revealed latent tensions within the organization.
- A latent creativity lay beneath his reserved demeanor.
- The innovation tapped into a latent demand in the market.
2
(of a medical condition or infection) present in the body but not currently producing symptoms
- The virus remained latent in the patient's nervous system.
- Tuberculosis can exist in a latent form for years.
- Herpes often enters a latent phase between outbreaks.
- A latent autoimmune response may trigger symptoms later.
- Doctors monitored the latent infection for signs of activation.