English Reference
adjective · noun

dominant

adj. · n.
US /ˈdɑmənənt/ UK /dˈɒmɪnənt/ dom·i·nant UK spelling dominants

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.more powerful, important, or noticeable than others.

    adj.commanding, controlling, or prevailing over others; having the most influence in a hierarchy or situation.

    Simple

    The company has a dominant position in the market because it has no real competitors.

    In context

    The dominant political party maintained its influence by controlling the local media and securing key legislative appointments.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Technical Science

    adj.describing a gene that shows its effect even if you only have one copy of it.

    adj.relating to an allele that is expressed in the phenotype even when only one copy is present in the genotype.

    Simple

    Brown eyes are usually a dominant trait, while blue eyes are recessive.

    In context

    In Mendelian genetics, the dominant allele masks the expression of the recessive one in heterozygous individuals.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    adj.the most common or frequent thing in a particular place or group.

    adj.prevailing or most frequent within a specific ecological or statistical context.

    Simple

    Oak trees are the dominant species in this part of the forest.

    In context

    The dominant theme in her early poetry is the tension between industrial progress and the preservation of the natural world.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency Technical Music

    n.the fifth note of a musical scale.

    n.the fifth degree of the diatonic scale, or the triad built upon that note.

    Simple

    The song moves from the tonic chord to the dominant to create tension.

    In context

    The composer utilised a secondary dominant to modulate smoothly into the new key during the bridge section.

Usage dominant class · dominant culture · dominant feature

High pressure has been dominant this summer leading to hot and dry weather, particularly across England and Wales.

BBC News· 17 Aug 2026

The Belgian has described his brand of football as "a dominant one, with and without the ball".

BBC News· 16 Aug 2026

From Middle French dominant.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin frm dominant
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated