a. [ad. L. latent-em, pres. pple. of latēre to be hidden. Cf. F. latent.] Hidden, concealed († rarely const. from); present or existing, but not manifest, exhibited or developed. (The opposite of patent.)
Latent ambiguity: in Law, a doubt as to the meaning of a document, not patent from the document itself, but raised by the evidence of some extrinsic and collateral matter (Wharton, Law Lex., 1848).
1616. Bullokar, Latent, hiden, or secret.
1624. Gataker, Transubst., etc. 197. The pretence of a Church and Religion like to theirs in former ages canot … be defended…. Some will haue it to haue beene latent and invisible for 800 … yeers.
1651. Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 241. Though the Historicall part have some latent corruption in it.
1671. J. Webster, Metallogr., iii. 55. A metalline plastick principle latent in it.
1689. T. Plunket, Char. Gd. Commander, Prol. New Necessities Will things produce, now latent from the wise.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. i. Wks. 1874, I. 26. We know not what latent powers and capacities they [brutes] may be endued with.
1757. Burke, Abridgm. Eng. Hist., Wks. 1842, II. 530. An exertion of a latent genius.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., i. I. 100. Under this apparent concord a great schism was latent. Ibid., v. 568. The meaning latent under this specious phrase.
1873. Black, Pr. Thule, xv. 241. The latent force of character that underlay all her submissive gentleness.
1879. A. W. Haddan, Apost. Succ., iv. 80. Döllinger’s expression, that the Episcopate was from the first latent in the Apostolate.
b. Of material things. ? Obs.
1646. Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., IV. xiii. 223. That most insects are latent, from the setting of the 7 Starres.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies (1840), III. 138. His admirable writings of mathematics are latent with some private possessors.
c. 1690. Scottow, in Harper’s Mag., March (1883), 591/2. A snake which Lay Latent in the Tender Grass.
1700. Dryden, Ajax & Ulysses, 172. The glitt’ring helm by moonlight will proclaim The latent robber.
1769. Gray, Ode for Music, 3rd Air. Thy liberal heart … Shall raise from earth the latent gem To glitter on the diadem.
c. That is really but not evidently what is implied by the sb.; disguised. rare.
1662. J. Bargrave, Pope Alex. VII. (1867), 19. This latent nuntio gave over his fruitless design.
1725. Pope, Odyss., III. 54. Then first approaching to the elder guest, The latent goddess in these words addrest.
1892. Stevenson, Across the Plains, i. 26. I had been but a latent emigrant, now I was to be branded once more, and put apart with my fellows.
d. Path. ‘Applied to diseases, the usual symptoms of which are not manifest, and to symptoms which do not appear under conditions in which they are natural’ (Syd. Soc. Lex., 1888). Also latent period, the period during which a disease lurks in the system before manifesting its presence.
1684. [see LATIC].
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), s.v. Cancer, Primitive Cancer, is that which comes of it self, and appears at first about the bigness of a Pea or Bean, causing an inward continual and pricking Pain; during which time it is call’d an Occult, Latent, or Blind Cancer.
1834. J. Forbes, Laennec’s Dis. Chest (ed. 4), 97. The constant presence of a catarrhal affection of the lungs, either latent or manifest.
1837. M. Hall, Med., 143. Rubeola is unequivocally contagious. A latent period of from ten to fourteen days intervenes between exposure and the development of the febrile symptoms.
1897. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., IV. 9. The foregoing train of symptoms being … known as those of ‘gouty dyspepsia’ or as ‘suppressed,’ ‘anomalous’ or latent gout.
e. Physics. Latent electricity: see quot. 1885. Latent heat: see HEAT sb. 2 c; so † latent caloric.
1816. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 334. Latent caloric may become sensible in a variety of ways.
1885. Watson & Burbury, Math. Th. Electr. & Magn., I. 83. The fluid of either kind in any electrified body in excess of that of the opposite kind is called the Free Electricity of the body, and the remaining fluids of the body, consisting of equal amounts of fluids of opposite kinds, together constitute what is called the Latent, Combined or Fixed Electricity of the body.
f. Bot. and Zool.
1787. Families of Plants, I. 263. The rudiments of eight anthers latent in the bottom of the flower.
1826. Kirby & Sp., Entomol., IV. 348. Latent (Latens) when it [the post dorsolum] is covered by the mesothorax.
1856. Henslow, Dict. Bot. Terms, Latent, lying dormant till excited by some particular stimulus; as the adventitious buds occasionally developed in trees.
g. Photogr.
c. 1865. J. Wylde, in Circ. Sci., I. 157/2. The latent picture becomes developed.
1878. Abney, Treat. Photogr., iii. 18. The invisible image is frequently termed latent, an appellation which, though convenient, is yet open to some criticism.
Hence Latently adv., in a latent manner, so as to be hidden or invisible; Latentness, latency.
1651. Raleigh’s Ghost, 103. Who would not affirm that a certain understanding … were invisibly and latently in the said things?
1660. J. Durham, Comm. Rev., xii. 531. Her latentnesse and inconspicuousnesse.
1684. T. Burnet, Theory Earth, I. 285. Neither can we … judge … of what things the memory may be still latently conserv’d.
1837. Whewell, Hist. Induct. Sci., IV. v. I. 343. The lateral support … was supplied latently.
