Praedominari

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To hold greater influence or power over others; to assert dominance or control in a particular context; to prevail or be the foremost in importance
2. To exert supremacy or commanding authority; to be superior in status or effect; to surpass others in influence or prominence
3. To maintain a superior position or sway; to dominate or take precedence in a situation; to have the dominant role or effect over something else

Etymology: "Praedominari" is a Latin verb built from "prae" ("before, above") and "dominari" ("to rule, be lord over"), itself from "dominus" ("lord, master"). Its literal sense is something like "to lord it over" or "to rule above," and that idea of standing over others carries straight into the modern English sense of being dominant. The word is Latin rather than a native English formation, and it reached English as "predominate," which is the form English speakers use today. Its later spread follows the same path as many Latin-based verbs of authority: scholars and writers borrowed the stock of Latin terms for power and hierarchy, and "predominate" took on the sense of prevailing or being most noticeable among other things rather than only ruling over people.

Synonyms: predominate, prevail, dominate

Antonyms: recede, yield, submit