predominant

Etymology

It is borrowed from Middle French predominant,^[2][3][4][5] recorded in French from 1372–4,^[2] the present participle of predominer (“to predominate”).^[2][5] The French verb comes from Medieval Latin praedominor (“to predominate”),^[3][4] formed from prae- (“before”) and dominor (“to rule, govern”),^[3][4] from dominus (“lord, master”), from domus (“house”).^[4] The Shorter Oxford and Dictionary.com also allow a direct borrowing of the Medieval Latin participle,^[6][7] which in British sources meant forming the main or most abundant element from about 1200.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Having ascendancy or prevailing influence over others: 1575, in Rolland's Treatise of the Court of Venus.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The Shorter Oxford notes that the word was first used in astrology and physiology,^[6] of influences that rule over others.^[6][4] From 1601 it took the weaker sense of forming the main or strongest element, prevailing,^[2][6] which Etymonline dates to about 1600.^[4] Johnson (1755) defined it as "prevalent; supreme in influence; ascendent".^[8] From 1796 it could describe something that towers over its surroundings,^[2][6] and in heraldry, from 1765, a tincture covering the whole shield.^[2] As a noun it meant a predominating influence or quality from 1589,^[2] and a person's besetting sin from 1633 to 1770;^[2][6] in Scotland predominants were still preached against in this sense.^[9]

Timeline

• 1575 – having ascendancy or prevailing influence.^[2][3]
• 1589 – noun, a predominating influence or quality.^[2]
• 1601 – forming the main or most abundant element.^[2]
• 1633 – noun, a besetting sin (obsolete by 1770).^[2]
• 1765 – in heraldry, of a tincture covering the whole field.^[2]
• 1796 – towering over other objects.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Having the greatest power, influence or authority; dominant: the predominant party in the coalition.^[3][10][2]
2. Most common or prevalent; forming the main element: Grey is the predominant colour of the old town.^[10][2][3]

Noun

1. (rare) Something that predominates.^[3][2]
2. (obsolete, 1633–1770) A person's besetting sin.^[2][6]

Word family

• predominantly
• predominancy

Related words

• predominance
• predominate
• dominant
• dominate
• domineer

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
6. ^ a b c d e f g Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
7. ^ Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
8. ^ Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
9. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)
10. ^ a b Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins