dominance

Also dom·i·nan·cy

[dom-uh-nuhns]

noun

1. control; authority; rule; supreme influence.

2. the condition of being dominant, or having the authority to influence or control.

3. Psychology.,  the disposition of an individual to assert control in dealing with others.

4. Animal Behavior.,  high status in a social group, usually acquired as the result of aggression, that involves the tendency to take priority in access to limited resources, as food, mates, or space.

5. Neurology.,  the normal tendency for one side of the brain to be more important than the other in controlling certain functions, as speech and language.

dominance

/ ˈdɒmɪnəns /

noun

1. control; ascendancy

Other Word Forms

• nondominance noun
• self-dominance noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dominance¹

First recorded in 1810–20; domin(ant) + -ance

Example Sentences

But wherever you are in the world, China's overwhelming dominance in clean tech industries remains unchallenged, other new data from Ember shows.

From BBC

Their goal is more doable: leveraging American power to ensure the continued dominance of the billionaire elite for at least as long as our planet remains habitable.

From Salon

Its grip on listeners has grown as it expanded into podcasts and audio books, though the firm's dominance has prompted frequent clashes with musicians, who have criticised its payment practices.

From BBC

World champions, six straight Grand Slams, WXV winners and a record-breaking streak of 33 successive Test wins - England's dominance is now the defining feature of the women's rugby landscape.

From BBC

A home comeback on Sunday could well be dubbed the 'Battering at Bethpage', although that too would be an apt naming for Europe's dominance so far.

From BBC

Related Words

• control 
• domination 
• influence 
• power 
• preeminence 
• rule 
• sovereignty