dominant

1 of 2

adjective

dom·​i·​nant ˈdä-mə-nənt How to pronounce dominant (audio)
ˈdäm-nənt
1
a
: 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
dominantly adverb

dominant

2 of 2

noun

1
music : the fifth tone of a major or minor scale (see scale entry 5 sense 1)
2
a
genetics : a character or factor that exerts genetic dominance (see dominance sense 1b)
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
Choose the Right Synonym for dominant

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

Examples of dominant in a Sentence

Adjective The company is now dominant in its market. It is the dominant culture in the region. the dominant female of the pack
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Iowa State relied on the dominant performance from their center Audi Crooks who put in an all-time great display to help mount the comeback. Ben Morse, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 Gen Zers and millennials report feeling worried about boomers’ effect on their financial future, per a survey by OnePoll on behalf of National Debt Relief, which polled 2,000 Americans, 500 from each of the four dominant generations. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dominant 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dominant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin dominant-, dominans, present participle of dominari — see dominate

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dominant was circa 1532

Dictionary Entries Near dominant

Cite this Entry

“Dominant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dominant. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dominant

1 of 2 adjective
dom·​i·​nant ˈdäm-(ə-)nənt How to pronounce dominant (audio)
1
a
: commanding, controlling, or having great influence over all others
a dominant political figure
b
: very important, powerful, or successful
a dominant industry
2
: rising high above the surroundings
3
4
: exhibiting genetic dominance
a dominant gene
dominant traits in peas
compare recessive entry 1 sense 2
5
: of, relating to, or being an ecological dominant
dominantly adverb

dominant

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a dominant gene or a character which it controls
b
: a kind of living thing (as a species) that has a major influence on the environment of an ecological community
2
: the fifth note of the musical scale

Medical Definition

dominant

1 of 2 adjective
dom·​i·​nant -nənt How to pronounce dominant (audio)
1
: exerting forcefulness or having dominance in a social hierarchy
2
: being the one of a pair of bodily structures that is the more effective or predominant in action
the dominant eye
3
: of, relating to, or exerting genetic dominance
dominantly adverb

dominant

2 of 2 noun
1
: a dominant genetic character or factor
2
: a dominant individual in a social hierarchy

More from Merriam-Webster on dominant

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