Nascent; latent

Nascent

I've always liked this word. The idea that something comes into being, now expanded beyond the original etymology of being born, just lends itself to wonderful uses. A nascent plot for revenge or a nascent friendship after moving, being among the abstract usages. A nascent post to this forum or the nascent opposition to a motion for summary judgment after a weekend's legal research, being among the non-abstract usages. Just a great, and wildly underutilized, word.

Latent

Now compare nascent with latent. No, I don't profess that these are not even remotely synonyms, but more inverse meanings. Nascent is something known which has just been formed while latent is something that has always been around but was not known (until now). Many of the nascent examples also work quite well with latent, ironically. A latent plot for revenge (probably more likely to succeed), or a latent friendship (for the midnight tryst folk or the cheerleader/geek combo). Works well in the abstract. A latent post to this forum would be a perpetual draft that never gets published, and a latent opposition to a motion for summary judgment would be moot, probably as untimely filed. I'll deal with dormant and quiescent later...