Dictionary / power
power
- noun
- verb
- adjective
- interjection
- from Old French
The ability to do or undergo something.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “power” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
noun
- countableuncountableThe ability to do or undergo something.
He has lost the power to speak.
- The ability to do or undergo something.countableuncountableextraordinary or supernatural ability.
Witches and mages have magic powers.
- The ability to do or undergo something.countableuncountableThe ability to coerce, influence, or control.
The proportion of female colleagues in the Hsinchu County Government and its affiliated units has reached 61%. “Women Power” is the power behind over half of the services provided by the county government.2022 March 8, “Magistrate Yang Wen-ke Sends Female Staff in Hsinchu County Government Roses for Their Contributions”, in HsinChu County Government, archived from the original on 19 Jul 2022:
- The ability to do or undergo something.countableThe ability to affect or influence.
the power of the written word
- The ability to do or undergo something.countableuncountableThe ability or authority to control, govern, command, coerce, etc., such as in a legal, political or business sphere.
He's nominally president, but he does not have any real power.
- The ability to do or undergo something.countablein pluralmetonymicallyuncountableThe people in charge of legal or political power, the government.
- The ability to do or undergo something.countablemetonymicallyuncountableA strong or influential nation, company, or other such body.
In the 19th century, Britain and France were major colonial powers.
- Strength; energy.countablephysicaluncountablePhysical force or strength.
He needed a lot of power to hit the ball out of the stadium.
- Strength; energy.attributivecountablephysicaluncountableDesignating one who does something forcefully or on a large or grand scale.
She's a power shopper; she knows all the best deals.
- Strength; energy.countablephysicaluncountableThe production or flow of energy providing means to do work; energy per time unit.
The power to haul the train is supplied by two huge locomotives.
- Strength; energy.countablephysicalspecificallyuncountableElectricity or a supply of electricity.
After the pylons collapsed, this town was without power for a few days.
- Strength; energy.countablephysicaluncountableThe rate at which work is done or energy is transferred, expressed in units of energy per unit of time.
The kilowatt is a unit of power, equivalent to 1,000 joules of energy per second.
- Strength; energy.countablephysicaluncountableThe strength by which a lens or mirror magnifies an optical image.
We need a microscope with higher power.
- colloquialcountableuncountableA large amount or number.
do a power of good
- countableuncountableAny of the elementary forms or parts of machines: three primary (the lever, inclined plane, and pulley) and three secondary (the wheel-and-axle, wedge, and screw).
the mechanical powers
- countableuncountableA tractor.
The set I'm making right now needs a power on it, but we don't have any tractors left in the yard.
- countableuncountableA measure of the effectiveness that a force producing a physical effect has over time. If linear, the quotient of: (force multiplied by the displacement of or in an object) ÷ time. If rotational, the quotient of: (force multiplied by the angle of displacement) ÷ time.
- countableuncountableA product of equal factors (and generalizations of this notion): xⁿ, read as "x to the power of n" or the like, is called a power and denotes the product x×x×⋯×x, where x appears n times in the product; x is called the base and n the exponent.
- countableuncountableCardinality.
- countableuncountableThe probability that a statistical test will reject the null hypothesis when the alternative hypothesis is true.
- countablein pluraluncountableIn Christian angelology, an intermediate level of angels, ranked above archangels, but exact position varies by classification scheme.
- countableuncountableA bonus point awarded for answering correctly before a certain part of the tossup is read.
Older & obsolete senses (1)
- archaiccountablemetonymicallyuncountableAn army; a military force.
verb
- transitiveTo provide power for (a mechanical or electronic device).
This CD player is powered by batteries.
- transitiveTo hit or kick something forcefully.
United keeper Edwin van der Sar was the unlikely provider as his clearance found Rooney, who had got ahead of last defender Richard Dunne, and the forward brilliantly controlled a ball coming from over his shoulder before powering a shot past Brad Friedel.2011 February 1, Mandeep Sanghera, “Man Utd 3 - 1 Aston Villa”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 23 Mar 2012:
- To enable or provide the impetus for.
Abdul Sattar Edhi came to Karachi as a poor man from an Indian village in 1947. Starting with a small pharmacy tent, his work rapidly expanded, powered by donations from ordinary citizens.2017 April 6, Samira Shackle, “On the frontline with Karachi’s ambulance drivers”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 11 Apr 2019:
- intransitiveTo move or advance with great force or speed.
adjective
- MalaysiaSingaporecolloquialImpressive.
Check out the POWER Mee Rebus & Lontong in this newly established Nasi Padang coffee shop at Market Street Carpark.2001, Thian, Makan Time:
interjection
- PhilippinescolloquialUsed as a cheer to express support
Cross-check: WordNet senses (10)
- nounpossession of controlling influence — also: powerfulness
- noun(physics) the rate of doing work; measured in watts (= joules/second)
- nounpossession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done — also: ability
- noun(of a government or government official) holding an office means being in power — also: office
- nounone possessing or exercising power or influence or authority — also: force
- nouna mathematical notation indicating the number of times a quantity is multiplied by itself — also: exponent, index
- nounphysical strength — also: might, mightiness
- nouna state powerful enough to influence events throughout the world — also: world power, major power, great power, superpower
- nouna very wealthy or powerful businessman — also: baron, big businessman, business leader, king, magnate
- verbsupply the force or power for the functioning of
Synonyms: aptitude, arm, authority, capability, capacity, clout, command, competence, competency, control, dominion, energy
Antonyms: impotence, weakness
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)power
- Middle Englishpower
- Old Frenchpoeir
- Vulgar Latinpotēre
- Latinposse
From Middle English power, poer, from Old French poeir, from Vulgar Latin potēre, from Latin posse, whence English potent. Compare French pouvoir. Displaced the native Old English anweald.
Derivatives — words built from “power”
Phrases & compounds
Related terms
Want to go deeper? See also “power” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “power” came from before it was English.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Wiktionary’s etymology does not give a separate meaning for the earliest form of “power”, so we don’t state one. The historical dictionary entry below shows how the word was understood in 1913.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
power n.
- Same as Poor, the fish.
power n. [OE. pouer, poer, OF. poeir, pooir, F. pouvoir, n. & v., fr. LL. potere, for L. posse, potesse, to be able, to have power. See Possible, Potent, and cf. Posse comitatus.]
- Ability to act, regarded as latent or inherent; the faculty of doing or performing something; capacity for action or performance; capability of producing an effect, whether physical or moral: potency; might; as, a man of great power; the power of capillary attraction; money gives power.
- Ability, regarded as put forth or exerted; strength, force, or energy in action; as, the power of steam in moving an engine; the power of truth, or of argument, in producing conviction; the power of enthusiasm.
- Capacity of undergoing or suffering; fitness to be acted upon; susceptibility; -- called also passive power; as, great power of endurance.
- The exercise of a faculty; the employment of strength; the exercise of any kind of control; influence; dominion; sway; command; government.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
nounMeaning: The ability to do or undergo something.
He has lost the power to speak.
On June 8, 1872, the London & North Western Railway obtained powers to quadruple its main line, and a new tunnel was bored for the up and down slow lines.1950 September, “Network News: Watford Tunnel, L.M.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 641:
nounMeaning: extraordinary or supernatural ability.
Witches and mages have magic powers.
You know not the power which you command.2023 December 18, “Galactus VS Unicron (Marvel Comics VS Transformers)” (17:15 from the start), in DEATH BATTLE!, season 10, episode 16, spoken by Galactus (Wolf Williams):
nounMeaning: The ability to coerce, influence, or control.
The proportion of female colleagues in the Hsinchu County Government and its affiliated units has reached 61%. “Women Power” is the power behind over half of the services provided by the county government.2022 March 8, “Magistrate Yang Wen-ke Sends Female Staff in Hsinchu County Government Roses for Their Contributions”, in HsinChu County Government, archived from the original on 19 Jul 2022:
nounMeaning: The ability to affect or influence.
the power of the written word
An incident which happened about this time will set the characters of these two lads more fairly before the discerning reader than is in the power of the longest dissertation.1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume III, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book II:
nounMeaning: The ability or authority to control, govern, command, coerce, etc., such as in a legal, political or business sphere.
He's nominally president, but he does not have any real power.
“[…] That woman is stark mad, Lord Stranleigh. Her own father recognised it when he bereft her of all power in the great business he founded. […]”1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad:
nounMeaning: A strong or influential nation, company, or other such body.
In the 19th century, Britain and France were major colonial powers.
Britain is no longer the maritime power that it once was.
nounMeaning: possession of controlling influence
the deterrent power of nuclear weapons
the power of his love saved her
nounMeaning: possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done
danger heightened his powers of discrimination
nounMeaning: (of a government or government official) holding an office means being in power
during his first year in power
the power of the president
nounMeaning: one possessing or exercising power or influence or authority
the mysterious presence of an evil power
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
power
/ˈpaʊ̯ə̯/ · pow·er
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
power
/ˈpaʊ̯ə̯/ · pow·er · noun, verb, adjective, interjection
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “power” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — Which meaning is it?
“He has lost the power to speak.”
Circle the meaning used.
“Witches and mages have magic powers.”
Circle the meaning used.
“the power of the written word”
Circle the meaning used.
Step 4 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “power” and what each means:
Step 5 — Original meaning
Read the etymology on the page. What does it tell you about the word’s earlier meaning?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 6 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — power
Which meaning, sentence 1: A. The ability to do or undergo something.
Which meaning, sentence 2: B. extraordinary or supernatural ability.
Which meaning, sentence 3: C. The ability to affect or influence.
Origin: C. Old French (Old French poeir)
Journey: English power ← Middle English power ← Old French poeir ← Vulgar Latin potēre ← Latin posse
Some derivatives: agripower, airpower, antipower, biopower, bipower, brainpower, candlepower, copower
Etymology: From Middle English power, poer, from Old French poeir, from Vulgar Latin potēre, from Latin posse, whence English potent. Compare French pouvoir. Displaced the native Old English anweald.
Sources: Wiktionary “power” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/power#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/power