Latent means which of the following?

• A. Active
• B. Dormant
• C. Highly contagious
• D. Expanding

Answer: (B)

Latent means existing but hidden or inactive. In medical and scientific use, a latent condition is present but not currently showing symptoms and not actively spreading. That’s why dormant is the best fit here—it describes something that is not active or in play right now. If something were active, it would be happening now; if it were highly contagious, it would readily transmit to others; and if it were expanding, it would be growing or increasing. A helpful example is latent TB infection, where the bacteria are in the body without symptoms and may become active later. Understanding latent helps you see the difference between things that are just present but quiet and things that are actually active and changing.