latent🔊

Existing or present but concealed or inactive. +

(pathology, of a virus) Remaining in an inactive or hidden phase; dormant. +

(biology) Lying dormant or hidden until circumstances are suitable for development or manifestation.

(forensics) The residue left by a person's finger that can be made visible by a process such as powder dusting; a latent fingerprint.

(statistics) An underlying cause that can be inferred from statistical correlations; factor.

Anything that is latent.