preponderate

(prē pändər āt′, pri-)

intransitive verb preponderated, preponderating

  1. Now Rare to weigh more; be heavier
  2. to sink or incline downward, as a scale of a balance
  3. to surpass others in amount, number, power, influence, importance, etc.; predominate

Origin: < L praeponderatus, pp. of praeponderare < prae-, before + ponderare, to weigh < pondus, weight: see pound

Related Forms:

See preponderate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

intransitive verb pre·pon·der·at·ed, pre·pon·der·at·ing, pre·pon·der·ates
  1. To exceed something else in weight.
  2. To be greater than something else, as in power, force, quantity, or importance; predominate: “In balancing his faults with his perfections, the latter seemed rather to preponderate” (Henry Fielding).
adjective (-dər-ĭt)
Preponderant.

Origin:

Origin: Latin praeponderāre, praeponderāt-

Origin: : prae-, pre-

Origin: + ponderāre, to weigh; see (s)pen- in Indo-European roots

.

Related Forms:

  • pre·ponˈder·ate·ly adverb
  • pre·ponˌder·aˈtion noun

Learn more about preponderate

link/cite print suggestion box