dominant

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adjective dom·i·nant \-nənt\

Definition of dominant

1a : commanding, controlling, or prevailing over all others the dominant cultureb : very important, powerful, or successful a dominant theme a dominant industry the team's dominant peformance
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

See dominant defined for English-language learners

See dominant defined for kids

Examples of dominant in a sentence

The company is now dominant in its market.
It is the dominant culture in the region.
the dominant female of the pack

Origin and Etymology of dominant

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

First Known Use: circa 1532

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

chimera, hermaphrodite, plasticity

dominant

noun dom·i·nant

Definition of dominant

1 music : the fifth tone of a major or minor scale (see ⁶scale 2)
2a genetics : a character or factor that exerts genetic dominance (see dominance 1b)b ecology : 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 dominant conifersc sociology : an individual having a controlling, prevailing, or powerful position in a social hierarchy : a dominant (see ¹dominant 1) individual in a social hierarchy

Origin and Etymology of dominant

see ¹dominant

First Known Use: 1819

Other Genetics Terms

chimera, hermaphrodite, plasticity

DOMINANT Defined for English Language Learners

dominant

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adjective dom·i·nant \-nənt\

Definition of dominant for English Language Learners

: 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

DOMINANT Defined for Kids

dominant

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adjective dom·i·nant \ˈdä-mə-nənt\

Definition of dominant for Students

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.

Medical Dictionary

dominant

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adjective dom·i·nant \-nənt\

Medical Definition of dominant

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