Latent /(lā"tent)/

La·tent

Latent

a.
  1. Not visible or apparent; hidden; concealed; secret; dormant; as, latent springs of action.
    The evils latent in the most promising contrivances are provided for as they arise.
  2. Existing but not presenting symptoms; dormant or developing; -- of disease, especially infectious diseases; as, the latent phase of an infection. (Med.)

Phrases & Compounds
Latent buds
buds which remain undeveloped or dormant for a long time, but may eventually grow.
Latent heat
that quantity of heat which disappears or becomes concealed in a body while producing some change in it other than rise of temperature, as fusion, evaporation, or expansion, the quantity being constant for each particular body and for each species of change; the amount of heat required to produce a change of phase.
Latent period
The regular time in which a disease is supposed to be existing without manifesting itself.