Definition of dominant
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : commanding, controlling, or prevailing over all others
the dominant culture
b : very important, powerful, or successful
a dominant theme a dominant industry the team's dominant performance
2 : overlooking and commanding from a superior position
a dominant hill
3 : of, relating to, or exerting ecological or genetic dominance dominant genes dominant and recessive traits
4 biology : being the one of a pair of bodily structures that is the more effective or predominant in action
dominant eye used her dominant hand
dominant
nounDefinition of dominant (Entry 2 of 2)
b ecology : any of one or more kinds of organism (such 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
dominant conifers
c sociology : an individual having a controlling, prevailing, or powerful position in a social hierarchy : a dominant (see dominant entry 1 sense 1) individual in a social hierarchy
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Time Traveler for dominant
The first known use of dominant was circa 1532
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