potenziële

Potentiële is a Dutch adjective meaning "potential" and is used to describe something that has potential or possibility. The form potentiële is the inflected form of the noun adjective potentieel and appears before a noun, as in de potentiële klant (the potential customer) or potentiële risico's (potential risks). It also occurs in scientific terms, such as potentiële energie for potential energy. In physics and related fields, the noun potentiaal is used for the abstract idea of a potential, for example elektrisch potentiaal (electric potential) or potentiaalverschil (potential difference).

Etymology and forms: Potentiële is derived from potentieel, which itself comes from Latin potentia and from the French word potentiel. In Dutch, adjectives formed from stems ending in -eel typically yield the form potentiële when used before a definite noun or in definite constructions. The spelling with a z, potenziële, is not standard in Dutch and is generally considered a misspelling in normal Dutch texts; correct usage is potentiële.

Usage notes: Potentiële is common in everyday language (potentiële klanten, potentiële mogelijkheden) as well as in technical contexts (potentiële energie, elektrisch potentiaal). The related noun potentieel refers to the overall capacity or capacity to develop something, while potentiaal/potentiaalverschil describes a potential difference in physics. The term is distinct from

potential as used in English, though cognate in origin and meaning.

See also: potentieel, potentiaal, potentiële energie, elektrisch potentiaal, potentiaaltheorie.