dominant

Ecology. any of one or more types of plants, or sometimes animals, that by virtue of abundance, size, or habits exert so important an influence on the conditions of an area as to determine, to a great extent, what other organisms can live there.

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So is slumgullion. Does it mean:

a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.

a printed punctuation mark (‽), available only in some typefaces, designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection, as after a rhetorical question.

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Origin:
1525–35; < Latin dominant- (stem of domināns, present participle of dominārī to dominate), equivalent to domin(us) master + -ant- -ant

Related forms

dom·i·nant·ly, adverb

non·dom·i·nant, adjective, noun

Can be confused: dominant, dominate, domineer (see synonym study at the current entry).

Synonyms
1. prevailing, principal. Dominant, predominant, paramount, preeminent describe something outstanding. Dominant describes something that is most influential or important: the dominant characteristics of monkeys. Predominant describes something that is dominant over all others, or is more widely prevalent: Curiosity is the predominant characteristic of monkeys. Paramount applies to something that is first in rank or order: Safety is of paramount importance. Preeminent applies to a prominence based on recognition of excellence: His work was of preeminent quality.

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To dominant

Collins

World English Dictionary

dominant (ˈdɒmɪnənt)

—*adj*
1.	having primary control, authority, or influence; governing; ruling
2.	predominant or primary: the dominant topic of the day
3.	occupying a commanding position
4.	genetics Compare recessive
	a. (of an allele) producing the same phenotype in the organism irrespective of whether the allele of the same gene is identical or dissimilar
	b. (of a character) controlled by such a gene
5.	music of or relating to the fifth degree of a scale
6.	ecology (of a plant or animal species within a community) more prevalent than any other species and determining the appearance and composition of the community

—n
7.	genetics
	a. a dominant allele or character
	b. an organism having such an allele or character
8.	music
	a. the fifth degree of a scale and the second in importance after the tonic
	b. a key or chord based on this
9.	ecology a dominant plant or animal in a community

'dominantly

—*adv*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

dominant

1530s, from Fr. dominant (13c.), from L. dominantem, prp. of dominari (see domination). Music sense is from 1819. The noun is first recorded 1819, earliest in the musical sense.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

dominant dom·i·nant (dŏm'ə-nənt)
adj.

Exercising the most influence or control.
Of, relating to, or being an allele that produces the same phenotypic effect whether inherited with a homozygous or heterozygous allele.

A dominant allele or trait.
An organism having a dominant trait.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage

Science Dictionary

dominant

(dŏm'ə-nənt) Pronunciation Key

Relating to the form of a gene that expresses a trait, such as hair color, in an individual organism. The dominant form of a gene overpowers the counterpart, or recessive, form located on the other of a pair of chromosomes.
Relating to the trait expressed by such a gene. See more at inheritance. Compare recessive.
Being a species that has the greatest effect within its ecological community, especially by determining the presence, abundance, or type of other species. As a plant community progresses through stages of succession, different species may become dominant for a period until the climax community is reached, at which point the dominant species remains stable until a major disruption occurs. Among animals, the dominant species in a community is generally the top predator or the most abundant or widespread species.
Being an animal that occupies the highest position in a social hierarchy and has the greatest access to resources such as food and a mate or mates. Social dominance is gained and maintained through factors such as size and aggressiveness.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia

dominant

in music, the fifth tone or degree of a diatonic scale (i.e., any of the major or minor scales of the tonal harmonic system), or the triad built upon this degree. In the key of C, for example, the dominant degree is the note G; the dominant triad is formed by the notes G-B-D in the key of C major or C minor. For further explanations of these relationships, see also cadence and harmony

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Example sentences

By 16, he was nearly 7 feet and a dominant city basketball star.

Organic farming is dominant in terms of quality properties.

Perhaps it is a case of not all members within one a dominant group not

receiving preferential treatment in every area of society.

The dominant critiques of technology have, then, something exaggerated about

them.

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Matching Quote

"It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be.... This, in turn, means that our statesmen, our businessmen, our everyman must take on a science fictional way of thinking."

-Isaac Asimov