puissance

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman pussance, pusaunce et al., from puissant (“powerful”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈpjuːɪs(ə)ns/, /ˈpwɪs(ə)ns/

Noun

puissance (uncountable)

1. Power, might or potency.
   • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.12:

     We easily pronounce puissance, truth and justice; they be words importing some great matter, but that thing we neither see nor conceive.

   • 2006, Clive James, North Face of Soho, Picador 2007, p. 66:

     Any impression of mental puissance might have been increased by the fact that I was usually to be seen working hard with notebook and biro, shaping up a new book review or a linking script [...].

2. The high-jump component of the sport of show jumping.

Translations

power, might or potency

• Russian: власть (ru) f (vlastʹ), могущество (ru) n (moguščestvo)

See also

• pouvoir
• puissant

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French

Etymology

From puissant.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /pɥi.sɑ̃s/

• puissance

  (file)

Noun

puissance f (plural puissances)

1. power (physical or figuratively)