puternici

Puternici is a Romanian adjective meaning powerful, strong, or potent. Its masculine plural form is puternici, and it can also be used as a noun to refer to a group of influential people, often in the phrase cei puternici, meaning “the powerful.” The feminine form is puternice, with corresponding plural puternice as well.

Etymology and related forms: puternic is derived from Latin potens, meaning powerful, through the development of Romanian adjectives. The term participates in the same semantic field as other Romance-language words for strength and influence, such as Italian potente or Spanish potente, though Romanian has its own grammatical usage and inflection.

Usage: Puternic describes both physical strength and non-physical forms of power, such as political or economic clout. Examples include un om puternic (a strong man) or un stat puternic (a powerful state). In media and political discourse, puternici or cei puternici can denote elites or influential actors who shape decisions and policy. The word is commonly used in both descriptive and evaluative contexts, depending on the tone and intention of the statement.

Grammar and variety: Puternic agrees with the noun it modifies in gender and number; for example, o persoană puternică (feminine subject) and doi oameni puternici (masculine plural). In definite constructions, Romanian often uses the definite article as a suffix, so puternic becomes puternicul in masculine singular, and cei puternici in masculine plural when the group is specified.

See also: Putere (power), for related abstract noun; for strength, refer to forţă.