Dominant

a. [Lat. dominans, p. pr. of dominari. See infra.] Ruling; prevailing; governing; predominant; as, the dominant party or faction.

The member of a dominant race is, in his dealings with the subject race, seldom indeed fraudulent, . . . but imperious, insolent, and cruel. Macaulay.

Dominant chord (Mus.), the chord based upon the dominant.—Dominant estate or tenement (Law), the estate to which a servitude or easement is due from another estate, the estate over which the servitude extends being called the servient estate or tenement. Bouvier. Wharton.

Synonyms—Governing; ruling; prevailing; predominant; ascendant.

n. (Mus.) The fifth tone of the scale, corresponding to the syllable sol of the gamut.