puis·sance

(pwĭs′əns, pyo͞o′ĭ-səns, pyo͞o-ĭs′əns)

n. Power; might.

[Middle English, from Old French, from poissant , powerful, present participle of pooir , to be able; see power.]

puis′sant adj.

puis′sant·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.