impotence
impotence Lexical Profile
impotence Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The state or condition of lacking power, strength, or effectiveness; an inability to take effective action or achieve a desired outcome.
"The committee felt a deep sense of political impotence when its recommendations were repeatedly ignored by the board."
A medical condition in which a male is persistently unable to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual intercourse.
"The physician explained that diabetes and high blood pressure are common underlying causes of impotence."
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern clinical contexts, the term 'erectile dysfunction' is generally preferred over 'impotence' to avoid the broader, potentially stigmatizing connotation of general powerlessness.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Old French 'impotence', from Latin 'impotentia' ('lack of power, weakness'), derived from 'impotens' ('powerless'), combining 'in-' ('not') and 'potens' ('powerful, able').