# impotent
## English
### Etymology

From Old French impotent, from Latin impotēns, from in- (expresses negation) + potēns (“powerful”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈɪm.pə.tənt/, /ˈɪm.pə.tɪnt/
** Audio (Southern England):(file)
* Audio (US):(file)

### Adjective

impotent (comparative more impotent, superlative most impotent)
* Lacking physical strength or vigor; weak
    Synonyms: feeble, puny, weak
* Lacking in power, as to act effectively; helpless
    Synonyms: helpless, powerless
** 1984, Freeman J. Dyson, Weapons and Hope:Technology without morality is barbarous; morality without technology is impotent
* Incapable of sexual intercourse, often because of an inability to achieve or sustain an erection, having impotentia coeundi
* (of a male) Sterile
* (obsolete) Lacking self-restraint
    Synonym: incontinent
** a. 1701 (date written), John Dryden, “The First Book of Homer’s Ilias”, in The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden, […], volume IV, London: […] J[acob] and R[ichard] Tonson, […], published 1760, →OCLC, page 444:Then, impotent of tongue (her ſilence broke) / Thus turbulent in rattling tone ſhe ſpoke.

#### Antonyms

* potent

#### Derived terms

* self-impotent

#### Related terms

* impotence

#### Translations
### Noun

impotent (plural impotents)
* A man who has erectile dysfunction
    Synonym: wet noodle
    Antonym: priapist
* An impotent or powerless person

## Catalan
### Etymology

Borrowed from Latin impotentem.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: (Central) [im.puˈten]
* IPA: (Balearic, Valencia) [im.poˈtent]

### Adjective

impotent m or f (masculine and feminine plural impotents)
* (medicine) impotent
* impotent, powerless, helpless

### Further reading

* “impotent” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

## Dutch
### Etymology

Borrowed from Latin impotens.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɪm.poːˈtɛnt/
* Audio:(file)
* Hyphenation: im‧po‧tent
* Rhymes: -ɛnt

### Adjective

impotent (not comparable)
* impotent (lacking force or vigor)
    Synonym: krachteloos
    Antonyms: potent, krachtig
* (sexuality, of males) impotent (sexually incapable)
    Antonyms: potent, vruchtbaar
    Hypernyms: steriel, onvruchtbaar

#### Derived terms

* impotentheid

#### Related terms

* impotentie

## French
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɛ̃.pɔ.tɑ̃/
* Homophone: impotents

### Adjective

impotent (feminine impotente, masculine plural impotents, feminine plural impotentes)
* infirm, disabled
* impotent

### Further reading

* “impotent”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

## German
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈɪmpotɛnt/
* Audio:(file)

### Adjective

impotent (strong nominative masculine singular impotenter, comparative impotenter, superlative am impotentesten)
* impotent
    Antonym: potent

#### Declension
### Further reading

* “impotent” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
* “impotent” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon

## Middle French
### Adjective

impotent m (feminine singular impotente, masculine plural impotens, feminine plural impotentes)
* impotent (incapable of sexual intercourse)

## Polish
### Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin impotēns.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /imˈpɔ.tɛnt/
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -ɔtɛnt
* Syllabification: im‧po‧tent

### Noun

impotent m pers
* (pathology) impotent (man who has erectile dysfunction)
* (derogatory) impotent (person incapable of taking a particular type of action that the situation requires)
    Synonym: eunuch

#### Related terms

* impotencja

### Further reading

* impotent in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
* impotent in Polish dictionaries at PWN

## Romanian
### Etymology

Borrowed from French impotent, from Latin impotens.

### Adjective

impotent m or n (feminine singular impotentă, masculine plural impotenți, feminine and neuter plural impotente)
* impotent

#### Declension
### Further reading

* impotent in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)

## Swedish
### Adjective

impotent (not comparable)
* impotent (incapable of sexual intercourse due to being unable to get an erection or the like)
    Antonym: potent
* impotent (powerless)

#### Declension

$^1$ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative. $^2$ Dated or archaic. $^3$ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

#### Related terms

* impotens

### References

* impotent in Svensk ordbok (SO)
* impotent in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)