Etymologically
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dominant

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈdɒmɪnənt/ (UK); /ˈdɑmənənt/, /ˈdɒmɪnənt/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English domynaunt, borrowed from Middle French dominant or directly borrowed from Latin dominans (“ruling”),[2][3][4] the present participle of dominārī (“to rule, govern”) (see dominate), from dominus (“lord, master”), from domus (“house”),[3][4] from PIE Proto-Indo-European *dem- (“house, household”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

In the phrase ordre dominaunt, the name of the fourth order of angels: the mid-15th century in Etymonline,[3] before 1460 in Barnhart.[2]

Semantic evolution

Exercising chief authority, ruling or most influential, is from about 1532, the 1530s in Etymonline.[5][3] Occupying a commanding position, as a hill, is from 1854.[5][3] In music, the fifth note of a scale is the dominant from 1819, the first use of the noun.[3][5][4] In genetics, a dominant characteristic, one that appears in the offspring even when the matching gene is different, is from 1900, translating Mendel's German dominierend (1866).[5] In forestry, dominant trees overtop the rest (1893).[5] The sense in sexual bondage, controlling the submissive partner, is from about 1960.[3]

Timeline

  • before 1460 – an order of angels.[2][3]
  • c. 1532 – ruling, commanding.[5]
  • 1819 – in music.[3][5]
  • 1854 – occupying a commanding position.[5]
  • 1900 – in genetics.[5]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Most powerful or influential; controlling.
  2. Most prominent; predominant: the dominant colour.
  3. (genetics) Of a gene or trait, appearing in the offspring even when paired with a recessive gene.
  4. Occupying a high or commanding position.

Noun

  1. (music) The fifth note of a scale.
  2. (genetics) A dominant gene or trait.

Word family

  • dominantly
  • subdominant
  • codominant
  • dominance
  • nondominant
  • semidominant
  • superdominant

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press