dominant - Dictionary Definition : Vocabulary.com

Dominant means to be in control. In a wolf pack, one male wolf fights the others, wins, and is considered the dominant, or alpha male. The other wolves in the pack do what he tells them.

Dominant derives from the Latin dominus which means "lord or master." If you grew up with a Latin mass, you will recognize this as one of many words for God. If you're dominant, it means you treat others as if you're their master. You can also use dominant to describe something frequent or common. For example, when cell phones first came out, their dominant use was for making calls. Now cells phone do so much more, some people hardly make calls on them at all.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: dominant

1	adj	most frequent or common
2	n	(music) the fifth note of the diatonic scale
3	n adj	an allele that produces the same phenotype whether its paired allele is identical or different (of genes) producing the same phenotype whether its allele is identical or dissimilar

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: dominant

1

adj most frequent or common

Synonyms:: predominant, prevailing, prevalent, rife

: frequent
coming at short intervals or habitually

adj exercising influence or control

“television plays a dominant role in molding public opinion”

“the dominant partner in the marriage”

Synonyms: ascendant, ascendent, dominating
most powerful or important or influential; controlling
able to control or determine policy; governing
responsible for making and enforcing rules and laws; overriding, paramount, predominant, predominate, preponderant, preponderating
having superior power and influence; possessive
having or showing a desire to control or dominate; sovereign, supreme
greatest in status or authority or power; superior
(sometimes followed by `to') not subject to or influenced by; superior
of or characteristic of high rank or importance

Antonyms:: low-level, subordinate
lower in rank or importance; adjunct, assistant
of or relating to a person who is subordinate to another; associate
having partial rights and privileges or subordinate status; secondary
belonging to a lower class or rank; under
lower in rank, power, or authority; subordinate
subject or submissive to authority or the control of another; inferior
of or characteristic of low rank or importance; show more antonyms...

2

n (music) the fifth note of the diatonic scale

Type of:: musical note, note, tone
a notation representing the pitch and duration of a musical sound

3

n an allele that produces the same phenotype whether its paired allele is identical or different

Synonyms:: dominant allele

Type of:: allele, allelomorph
(genetics) either of a pair (or series) of alternative forms of a gene that can occupy the same locus on a particular chromosome and that control the same character

adj (of genes) producing the same phenotype whether its allele is identical or dissimilar

Antonyms:: recessive
(of genes) producing its characteristic phenotype only when its allele is identical