potential energy

energy present in a resting body (Physics)

Potential energy can be thought of as energy stored within a physical system. This energy can be released or converted into other forms of energy, including kinetic energy. It is called potential energy because it has the potential to change the states of objects in the system when the energy is released.
See more at Wikipedia.org...

Potential energy n. The energy that exists in a body as a result of its position or condition rather than of its motion. [more]Potential energy - Community and Resources

Noun
1. the mechanical energy that a body has by virtue of its position; stored energy
(synonym) P.E.
(hypernym) mechanical energy
(hyponym) elastic energy, elastic potential energy

Compare with kinetic energy .energy an object possesses by virtue of its position. For example, lifting a mass mby h meters increases its potential energy by mgh, where g is the acceleration due to gravity.