First Known Use: circa 1532
Dictionary
1dominant
adjective dom·i·nant \-nənt\
: more important, powerful, or successful than most or all others
: most common
biology : causing or relating to a characteristic or condition that a child will have if one of the child's parents has it
Full Definition of DOMINANT
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
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Origin of DOMINANT
Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin dominant-, dominans, present participle of dominari
Related to DOMINANT
- Synonyms
- arch, big, capital, cardinal, central, chief, foremost, first, grand, great, greatest, highest, key, leading, main, master, number one (also No. 1), numero uno, overbearing, overmastering, overriding, paramount, predominant, preeminent, premier, primal, primary, principal, prior, sovereign (also sovran), supreme
Synonym Discussion of 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>.
Other Genetics Terms
2dominant
noun
Definition of DOMINANT
1
: the fifth tone of a major or minor scale
2
a : a dominant genetic character or factor b : any of one or more kinds of organism (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 c : a dominant individual in a social hierarchy
First Known Use of DOMINANT
1819
Other Genetics Terms
Rhymes with DOMINANT
DOMINANT[1] Defined for Kids
dominant
adjective dom·i·nant \ˈdä-mə-nənt\
Definition of DOMINANT for Kids
1
: controlling or being more powerful or important than all others <The team is dominant in its league.>
2
: being or produced by a form of a gene that prevents or hides the effect of another form <A dominant gene produces brown eye color.>
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