Main Entry: ¹dom·i·nant

Pronunciation: \-nənt\

Function: 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>

— dom·i·nant·ly 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>.