dominant
Describing a person who likes to have control and direct others; commanding.
EXAMPLE
In der Gruppe war er der dominante Charakter, der alle Entscheidungen traf.
In the group, he was the dominant character who made all the decisions.
dominant
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Meanings
dominant
Predominant, most strongly expressed, or most important.
EXAMPLE
Die Farbe Blau ist in diesem Gemälde dominant.
The color blue is dominant in this painting.
dominant
In biology and genetics, the property of an inherited trait that prevails over another (recessive) trait in inheritance.
EXAMPLE
Die Erbanlage für braune Augen ist gegenüber der für blaue Augen dominant.
The genetic trait for brown eyes is dominant over the one for blue eyes.
dominant
In music, the term for the fifth degree of a scale and the chord built on it (the dominant).
EXAMPLE
Der Akkordwechsel vom dominanten Septakkord zur Tonika erzeugt eine starke Spannung und Auflösung.
The chord change from the dominant seventh chord to the tonic creates strong tension and resolution.
Usage tips
Use as an adverb
'Dominant' can be used not only as an adjective before a noun or with 'sein' (to be), but also as an adverb. It then describes the manner of an action, often in the combination 'dominant auftreten' (to come across/act in a dominant way).
EXAMPLE
Er versucht immer, in Diskussionen sehr dominant aufzutreten.
He always tries to come across as very dominant in discussions.
Typical collocations
When talking about personality, 'dominant' is often combined with nouns such as 'Charakter' (character), 'Verhalten' (behavior), or 'Persönlichkeit' (personality). It describes a person who tends to take the lead.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat ein dominantes Verhalten, das nicht jeder mag.
She has dominant behavior that not everyone likes.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'vorherrschend' (predominant), 'dominant' often describes abstract things or features. Typical combinations are 'eine dominante Rolle spielen' (to play a dominant role), 'die dominante Farbe' (the dominant color), or 'das dominante Thema' (the dominant theme).
EXAMPLE
In seiner Architektur spielt Glas eine dominante Rolle.
Glass plays a dominant role in his architecture.
Register: technical language
In biology and genetics, 'dominant' has a very specific, technical meaning. It describes an inherited trait that prevails over another. In music theory, it is also a technical term for a specific scale degree.
EXAMPLE
Das Gen für dunkle Haare ist oft dominant.
The gene for dark hair is often dominant.
Compare with
dominant vs führend
leading
Führend and dominant can both describe a strong position in the market. Führend means being among the most important or successful providers. Dominant goes further and emphasizes a clear advantage over the others, for example through an exceptionally large market share.
dominant
Mit achtzig Prozent Marktanteil ist das Unternehmen auf dem Markt dominant.
With an eighty-percent market share, the company is dominant in the market.
führend
Mit seinen hohen Verkaufszahlen ist das Unternehmen auf dem Markt führend.
With its high sales figures, the company is a leading player in the market.
In real life
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