Puissance

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈpjuːɪs(É™)ns/, /ˈpwɪs(É™)ns/

Origin

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

Full definition of puissance

Noun

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.