Standard Lemma guide

puissance

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈpjuːɪ.s(ə)ns/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈpwɪ-/
  • Received-Pronunciation: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

power, might or potency

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: equestrianism, hobbies, horses, lifestyle, pets, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Alternative letter-case form of puissance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, countable, uncountable

Topics: equestrianism, hobbies, horses, lifestyle, pets, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

power to influence or coerce

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the puissance of the labor vote

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: power, powerfulness

History

Etymology

From Middle English puissaunce, from Anglo-Norman puissance, pusaunce, and other forms, from Old French puissant (“powerful”).

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: мощ (mošt) — power, might or potency
  • Bulgarian: могъщество (mogǎštestvo) — power, might or potency
  • French: puissance — power, might or potency
  • Russian: власть (vlastʹ) — power, might or potency
  • Russian: могу́щество (mogúščestvo) — power, might or potency