What is the meaning of 'latent potential'? [closed]

Solution 1:

A first stab at the (adjectival) meanings, which you reasonably outline, might suggest that they are the same, that they are synonymous, describing something that will be revealed once certain conditions are satisfied.

For example, we have:

potential = possible when the necessary conditions exist:

Cambridge dictionary

and

latent = present but needing particular conditions to become active, obvious, or completely developed

Cambridge dictionary

There is a hint of difference in the words possible and present. However, Merriam Webster states things more forcefully:

Potential = existing in possibility : capable of development into actuality

Merriam Webster

latent = present and capable of emerging or developing but not now visible, obvious, active,

Merriam Webster

Latent therefore describes a real thing that is hidden but may be revealed by some change in circumstance. Potential only describes a possibility, perhaps to be revealed by a change in circumstances.

I devise two sentence that have the potential to help. "Beyond the frontier, the attack was latent, with the massed infantry merely awaiting the word to advance." and "Beyond the frontier, there was political potential for an attack, although no troops had yet left their barracks and negotiations were still in progress."