predominate

/pɹɪˈdɒmɪneɪt/

//pɹɪˈdɒmɪneɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"predominate" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“predominate” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #47,839 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#47,839
frequency rank, English
11
letters
16
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To dominate, have control, or succeed by superior numbers or size.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

predominate vs predominately
85% similar
predominate vs predominant
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for predominate
PropertyValue
Headwordpredominate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pɹɪˈdɒmɪneɪt/
Letters11
Frequency rank#47,839
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “predominate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). predominate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for predominate is 11 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /pɹɪˈdɒmɪneɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #47,839 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for predominate, with forms such as "perdominate", "ppredominate", and "prdeominate". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "predominately", "predominant", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin praedominātus, past participle of praedominor. By surface analysis, pre- + dominate. The correct English form is predominate, spelled P-R-E-D-O-M-I-N-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To dominate, have control, or succeed by superior numbers or size.
  2. 2
    To be prominent; to loom large; to be the chief component of a whole.
  3. 3
    To dominate or hold power over, especially through numerical advantage; to outweigh.

Etymology

From Latin praedominātus, past participle of praedominor. By surface analysis, pre- + dominate.

Synonyms

preponderateprevail

This word in other languages

predominar(Español)predominar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: perdominate,ppredominate,prdeominate,preddominate,predmoinate,predoimnate,predomiante,predominaet,predominatte,predominnate,predomintae,predomminate,predomniate,preodminate,prredominate,rpedominate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of predominate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

perdominate2ppredominate1prdeominate2preddominate1predmoinate2predoimnate2predomiante2predominaet2
Edit distance from "predominate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "predominate"?
"predominate" is spelled P-R-E-D-O-M-I-N-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /pɹɪˈdɒmɪneɪt/.
What does "predominate" mean?
As a verb, "predominate" means: To dominate, have control, or succeed by superior numbers or size.
What words are commonly confused with "predominate"?
"predominate" is commonly confused with "predominately", "predominant". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "predominate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "predominate" is /pɹɪˈdɒmɪneɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "predominate"?
From Latin praedominātus, past participle of praedominor. By surface analysis, pre- + dominate. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “predominate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-R-E-D-O-M-I-N-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pɹɪˈdɒmɪneɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “predominately” - see the side-by-side comparison. predominate vs predominately
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list