impotent B1 Topic:Ethics & Social Judgment US /ˈɪm.pə.tənt/ See IPA manual Freq #12804 Meanings 1 adj unable to copulate, usually referring to a man The impotent patient was given drugs to help with arousal. 2 adj Lacking in power, as to act effectively; helpless Technology without morality is barbarous; morality without technology is impotent. 3 adj Incapable of sexual intercourse, often because of an inability to achieve or sustain an erection, having impotentia coeundi. A person smeared with the excrement of a mouse was rendered impotent, according to Pliny the Elder. 4 adj Lacking self-restraint Then, impotent of tongue (her ſilence broke) / Thus turbulent in rattling tone ſhe ſpoke. Thesaurus Synonyms 2 adj · lacking in power, as to act... helplesspowerless 4 adj · lacking self-restraint incontinent ↔ Opposites potent Word family Forms impotentlyimpotents Derived forms impotentlyimpotentnessnonimpotentself-impotent Related forms impotence Common collocations impotent rage Adjective + noun Etymology From Old French impotent, from Latin impotēns, from in- (expresses negation) + potēns (“powerful”). Topics Ethics & Social Judgment External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # impotent **Type:** Word **Level:** B1 **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /ˈɪm.pə.tənt/ **Frequency rank:** 12804 ## Meanings 1. unable to copulate, usually referring to a man 2. Lacking in power, as to act effectively; helpless 3. Incapable of sexual intercourse, often because of an inability to achieve or sustain an erection, having impotentia coeundi. 4. Lacking self-restraint ## Examples - The impotent patient was given drugs to help with arousal. - Technology without morality is barbarous; morality without technology is impotent. - A person smeared with the excrement of a mouse was rendered impotent, according to Pliny the Elder. - Then, impotent of tongue (her ſilence broke) / Thus turbulent in rattling tone ſhe ſpoke. ## Antonyms - potent ## Derived Forms - impotently - impotentness - nonimpotent - self-impotent ## Related Forms - impotence ## Etymology From Old French impotent, from Latin impotēns, from in- (expresses negation) + potēns (“powerful”). ## Topics - Ethics & Social Judgment markdown