I think they're pretty much the same thing. The only difference is that the potentiometer is an application of a potential divider
A potential divider is when you have two resistors in a circuit, and the one with the higher resistance, has the higher p.d across it.
A potentiometer is a component yo use, usually like a rheostat, with a slider across a resistor, that varies the p.d across what's connecter to the slider. i.e full voltage, no resistance.
Full resistance, no voltage.