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dominant's - 3 dictionary results

dom⋅i⋅nant

  [dom-uh-nuhnt]
Use dominant's in a Sentence
–adjective
1. ruling, governing, or controlling; having or exerting authority or influence: dominant in the chain of command.
2. occupying or being in a commanding or elevated position.
3. predominant; main; major; chief: Corn is the dominant crop of Iowa.
4. Genetics. of or pertaining to a dominant.
5. Music. pertaining to or based on the dominant: the dominant chord.
–noun
6. Genetics.
a. the one of a pair of alternative alleles that masks the effect of the other when both are present in the same cell or organism.
b. the trait or character determined by such an allele. Compare recessive (defs. 4, 5).
7. Music. the fifth tone of a diatonic scale.
8. 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.
Origin:
1525–35; < L dominant- (s. of domināns, prp. of dominārī to dominate ), equiv. to domin(us) master + -ant- -ant

Related forms:
dom⋅i⋅nant⋅ly, adverb

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.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To dominant's
dom·i·nant   (dŏm'ə-nənt)   
adj.  
  1. Exercising the most influence or control.
  2. Most prominent, as in position; ascendant.
  3. Genetics Of, relating to, or being an allele that produces the same phenotypic effect whether inherited with a homozygous or heterozygous allele.
  4. Ecology Of, relating to, or being a species that is most characteristic of an ecological community and usually determines the presence, abundance, and type of other species.
  5. Music Relating to or based on the fifth tone of a diatonic scale.
n.  
  1. Genetics A dominant allele or trait.
  2. Ecology A dominant species.
  3. Music The fifth tone of a diatonic scale.

[Middle English dominaunt, from Old French, from Latin domināns, dominant-, present participle of dominārī, to dominate; see dominate.]
dom'i·nant·ly adv.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean surpassing all others in power, influence, or position. Dominant applies to what exercises principal control or authority or is unmistakably ascendant: For decades, the Soviet Union was the dominant nation of eastern Europe.
Predominant often implies being uppermost at a particular time or for the time being: "Egrets, gulls and small mammals are the predominant wildlife on the island these days" (Dan McCoubrey).
Preponderant implies superiority as the result of outweighing or outnumbering all others: "No big modern war has been won without preponderant sea power" (Samuel Eliot Morison).
Paramount means first in importance, rank, or regard: "My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union" (Abraham Lincoln).
Preeminent suggests generally recognized supremacy: He is the preeminent tenor of the modern era.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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dominant   (dŏm'ə-nənt)  Pronunciation Key 
  1. 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.
  2. Relating to the trait expressed by such a gene. See more at inheritance. Compare recessive.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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