dominant

dominant
I. adjective Etymology: Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin dominant-, dominans, present participle of dominari Date: circa 1532 1. a. commanding, controlling, or prevailing over all others <
the dominant culture
>
b. very important, powerful, or successful <
a dominant theme
>
<
a dominant industry
>
2. overlooking and commanding from a superior position <
a dominant hill
>
3. of, relating to, or exerting ecological or genetic dominance 4. being the one of a pair of bodily structures that is the more effective or predominant in action <
dominant eye
>
dominantly adverb Synonyms: dominant, predominant, paramount, preponderant mean superior to all others in influence or importance. dominant applies to something that is uppermost because ruling or controlling <
a dominant social class
>
. predominant applies to something that exerts, often temporarily, the most marked influence <
a predominant emotion
>
. paramount implies supremacy in importance, rank, or jurisdiction <
unemployment was the paramount issue in the campaign
>
. preponderant applies to an element or factor that outweighs all others in influence or effect <
preponderant evidence in her favor
>
. II. noun Date: 1819 1. the fifth tone of a major or minor scale 2. a. a dominant genetic character or factor b. any of one or more kinds of organism (as a species) in an ecological community that exerts a controlling influence on the environment and thereby largely determines what other kinds of organisms are present c. a dominant individual in a social hierarchy

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • dominant — dominant, ante [ dɔminɑ̃, ɑ̃t ] adj. • XIIIe; de dominer 1 ♦ Qui exerce l autorité, domine sur d autres. Nation dominante. Féod. Fief dominant. Dr. Fonds dominant : immeuble au profit duquel existe une servitude (opposé à fonds servant). ♢ Biol.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • dominant — I adjective ascendant, authoritative, cardinal, chief, commanding, controlling, eminent, first, foremost, governing, hegemonical, influential, leading, main, master, overshadowing, paramount, predominant, predominating, preeminent, preponderant,… …   Law dictionary

  • dominant — dominant, ante (do mi nan, nan t ) adj. 1°   En parlant des choses, qui domine, qui prévaut. Goût dominant. Passion dominante. •   Comme elle [la passion du trône] est la première, elle est la dominante, CORN. Tite et Bér. I, 2. •   Je veux, je… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • dominant — DOMINÁNT, Ă, dominanţi, te, adj., s.f. 1. adj. Care domină. ♦ (Despre însuşiri, factori, trăsături etc.) Predominant, specific, caracteristic. 2. s.f. Trăsătură caracteristică a unei lucrări, a unui proces etc. 3. s.f. (muz.) Treapta a cincea a… …   Dicționar Român

  • Dominant — Dom i*nant, a. [L. dominans, antis, p. pr. of dominari: cf. F. dominant. See {Dominate}.] Ruling; governing; prevailing; controlling; predominant; as, the dominant party, church, spirit, power. [1913 Webster] The member of a dominant race is, in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dominant — UK US /ˈdɒmɪnənt/ adjective ► more important, powerful, or successful than other people, companies, etc.: »The question was whether cable or wireless would become dominant. dominant force/player »For a long time Detroit was the dominant force in… …   Financial and business terms

  • dominant — dominant, predominant, paramount, preponderant, preponderating, sovereign mean superior to all others in power, influence, position, or rank. Something is dominant which is thought of as ruling, as commanding, or as uppermost {a dominant race}… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Dominant — Dom i*nant, n. (Mus.) The fifth tone of the scale; thus G is the dominant of C, A of D, and so on. [1913 Webster] {Dominant chord} (Mus.), the chord based upon the dominant. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • dominant — DOMINANT, ANTE, adject. Qui domine. Passion dominante. Humeur dominante. Goût dominant. [b]f♛/b] On dit figurément, qu Il y a dans un ouvrage une idée dominante à laquelle tout est subordonné. Cet homme est obsédé d une idée dominante qu il… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • dominant — [däm′ə nənt] adj. [L dominans, prp. of dominari: see DOMINATE] 1. exercising authority or influence; dominating; ruling; prevailing 2. Genetics designating or relating to that one of any pair of allelic hereditary factors which, when both are… …   English World dictionary

  • dominant — Dominant, [domin]ante. adj. v. Qui domine. Seigneur dominant. fief dominant. passion dominante …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

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