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Glite Dictionary
latently

latently

1 7.0
In a way that exists but is not active or visible
  • adverb
  • /ˈleɪtəntli/
: latentemente
  • Some talents may lie latently within individuals until they are nurtured.
  • latently infected cell
  • latently infected

Examples

  • The virus can remain latently in the body for years without causing symptoms.

  • Potential victims of those who carry on latently pernicious activities have a strong claim to consideration.

    Academic text (1992)

  • In 1988, surveys showed that at least 14 to 25 percent of the total workforce was "latently unemployed" in many major industrial cities.

    Academic text (1998)

  • Surprisingly little is known about the location of M. tuberculosis in latently infected individuals.

    Academic text (2000)

  • It is this productive power that is the real capital, and it is this power that latently resides in every worker...

    Blog text (5)

  • Despite his calm demeanor, a passion for music existed latently within him.

How Hidden

secretly
247 1.4
latently
1 7.0
apparently
∞ 2.8
openly
274 1.6

Surface Forms

latently positive

Morphology

latently = latent (transparent) = latent + ly

Standard adverbial formation from the adjective 'latent' with predictable meaning 'in a latent way'.

Etymology

Latently comes from the Latin verb latere, which means 'to lie hidden'. Think of the related word latent, which means 'hidden' or 'waiting to appear', so latently means something is there but not yet active or visible.