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dominant Definition

domi·nant (däm′ə nənt)

adjective

  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 present in the germ plasm, dominates over the other and appears in the organism
  3. Music of or based upon the fifth tone of a diatonic scale

Etymology: L dominans, prp. of dominari: see dominate

noun

  1. Ecol. that species of plant or animal most numerous in a community or exercising control over the other organisms by its influence upon the environment
  2. Genetics a dominant character or factor
  3. Music the fifth note of a diatonic scale

dominant Related Forms

dom′i·nantly adverb

dominant Synonyms

dominant

modif.

  1. Having effect or power

    ruling, prevailing, governing, predominant; see governing, predominant 1, principal.

  2. Inclined to use force

    commanding, imperious, imperative, authoritative, lordly, despotic, domineering, demonstrative, assertive, aggressive, bossy*; see also aggressive 1, autocratic 1, powerful 1.

    Antonyms submissive, retiring, meek. See syn. study at predominant.predominant.

dominant Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • overwhelmingly: Visual sensations must not be confused with visual ' perceptions ' , in which interpretation plays an overwhelmingly dominant rôle.
  • incompletely: The mode of inheritance of resistance to Cry1Ac in diamondback moths was traced to inheritance as an incompletely dominant trait.
  • overly: This also suggests the colors are well balanced with no single color being overly dominant.
  • visually: Only when dichotomic relationships between the visually dominant and the invisible are broken down will it be possible to attempt to recontextualise the landscape.
  • increasingly: The Retail Sector The multiple supermarkets have become increasingly dominant in the retail sector in recent years.
  • equally: The men's four was equally dominant in their semi-final.

Modifies a noun

  • ideology: Is Linda a male construct of an idealized " Woman " who reinforces the desires of the dominant ideology in this culture?
  • paradigm: The views of the scholars at the Leipzig Conference simply do not conform to the dominant paradigm.
  • discourse: The article begins with a thematic overview of some of the dominant discourses of play.
  • position: Fleet News uses its dominant position in the sector to help move the industry forward.
  • trait: The the original ancestors of all humanity must have had dominant traits.
  • species: The summit of the hill above is covered in birch, with oak the dominant species on the sides.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: The elements of the new society which were growing up within the old, now become dominant.
  • remain: No large mammals ever reached the islands, so birds and reptiles remained dominant - as they had once dominated the Earth eons before.

Preposition: in

  • air: Alongside him I'd play Connor, who has a broader game than Nugent, even if not quite so dominant in the air.
  • market: It concludes that BSkyB is dominant in markets for the wholesale supply of pay channels with certain premium sports and film content.
  • society: Woman are however becoming more dominant in society, often being the bread winners in a household and commanding far greater disposable incomes.
  • sector: The Retail Sector The multiple supermarkets have become increasingly dominant in the retail sector in recent years.
  • period: In a typical " game of two halves " Lynn were dominant in the first period and under pressure in the second.
  • area: Bolton County Bears soon upped their game and became dominant in all areas.