puissance

noun

puis·​sance ˈpwi-sᵊn(t)s 

ˈpyü-ə-sən(t)s,

pyü-ˈi-sᵊn(t)s 

: strength, power

Synonyms

• energy
• firepower
• force
• horsepower
• might
• muscle
• potence
• potency
• power
• sinew
• strength
• vigor

Examples of puissance in a Sentence

the president pledged to put the full puissance of the nation into the war effort

Recent Examples on the Web

The reboot arrives at the peak of reggaeton’s pop puissance, and rightfully incorporates a lot more of the genre and its offshoots — Latin trap included. —Washington Post, 26 Nov. 2021

Which of you has the puissance to short-term deep-six me? —Henry Alford, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2021

The doctrine’s puissance lies in the separation of powers. —Matt Ford, The New Republic, 14 Jan. 2020

Over the years, when French leaders have called for a Europe puissance (European power), this has often sounded suspiciously like code for French hegemonic ambitions. —The Economist, 7 Nov. 2019

There was a time when Jupiter was the king of the gods, and any man who doubted his puissance was ipso facto a barbarian and an ignoramus. —John E. McIntyre, baltimoresun.com, 29 Aug. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French pussance, puissance, from pussant able, powerful, from poer to be able, be powerful — more at power

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

puissance

noun

puis·​sance ˈpwis-ᵊn(t)s  ˈpyü-ə-sən(t)s 

: strength sense 1, power

puissant

-ᵊnt

-sənt

adjective