Craig White's Literature Courses Terms / Themes "dominant" & "dominate" Two Different Words!

A common spelling error in multicultural studies:

WRONG: "dominate culture"

RIGHT: "dominant culture"

Pronounced in a hurry, the words may sound alike, but they're different forms of the same root word.

dominant = Adjective: 1. Exercising chief authority or rule: ruling, governing, commanding; most influential; 2. Occupying a commanding position.

examples: "Dominant languages and dialects . . . lead to the gradual extinction of other tongues." (Charles Darwin)

dominate = 1.Transitive Verb: To bear rule over, control, sway; to have a commanding influence on; to master; 2a. Intransitive verb: To bear sway, exercise control; to predominate, prevail; to lord over.

examples: "The Germans dominate the intellectual world." "LeBron James is dominating both lanes."

Definitions and examples from the Oxford English Dictionary.

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