prepotency
Americannoun
noun
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the state or condition of being prepotent
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genetics the ability of one parent to transmit more characteristics to its offspring than the other parent
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botany the ability of pollen from one source to bring about fertilization more readily than that from other sources
Etymology
Origin of prepotency
1640–50 for general sense “predominance”; < Latin praepotentia. See prepotent, -ency
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As Rockefeller’s oil prepotency waned, global production flourished; in a frantically developing industrialized world, oil reserves took on strategic importance.
From Slate ● Nov. 22, 2013
Thus, we necessarily select the only trait really worth while; that is prepotency or the ability to beget desirable qualities.
From The Dollar Hen by Hastings, Milo M. (Milo Milton)
The brief mention of prepotency is common to them both.
From The Foundations of the Origin of Species Two Essays written in 1842 and 1844 by Darwin, Francis, Sir
It is therefore not surprising that every one hitherto has been baffled in drawing up general rules on the subject of prepotency.
From The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication, Volume II (of 2) by Darwin, Charles
Beta vulgaris. measurements. crossed not exceeded by self-fertilised. prepotency of other pollen.
From Effects of Cross and Self Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom by Darwin, Charles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.