1. The state of being latent. 2. In conditioning, or other behavioral experiments, the period of apparent inactivity between the time the stimulus is presented and the moment a response occurs. 3. In psychoanalysis, the period of time from approximately age five to puberty.
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1) the quality or state of being latent esp the state or period of living or developing in a host without producing symptoms used of an infective agent or disease <the infamous \latency of the virus causing herpes simplex>
2) LATENCY PERIOD (1)
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la·ten·cy (laґtən-se) 1. a state of seeming inactivity or being latent. 2. the time between the instant of stimulation and the beginning of a response; called also latent period and conduction time. 3. see under stage.Medical dictionary. 2011.