dominants

Noun

dominant (plural dominants)

1. The fifth major tone of a musical scale (five major steps above the note in question); thus G is the dominant of C, A of D, and so on.
2. The triad built on the dominant tone.
3. Of an allele, that a heterozygote for the allele has the same phenotype as the homozygote.
   • Finally, if we suppose provisionally that the mutant genes are dominant just as often as they are recessive, selection will be far more severe in eliminating the disadvantageous dominants than in eliminating the disadvantageous recessives.1930, R. A. Fisher, J. H. Bennett, The Genetical Theory of Natural Selection, page 50
4. A species or organism that is dominant.
   • Landowners cannot afford to cut submerchantable trees, yet many hesitate to cut merchantable dominants and codominants at the risk of downgrading the residual stand.1966, John R. Bassett, Thinning loblolly pine from above and below, New Orleans, La: Southern Forest Experiment Station
5. The dominating partner in sadomasochistic sexual activity.
   • This calendar is not for the faint of heart (unless you have some strong butch dominant to hold you while you swoon)1988 December 25, Wickie Stamps, “Leather, Peace and Wombyn over Forty”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 24, page 7

   Antonyms:

   submissive

See all 10 meanings of dominant