Dominant vs. Submissive — What's the Difference?

Exercising the most power, control, or influence

Inclined or willing to submit.

Most abundant or conspicuous; predominant

Obedient or passive.

Higher; overlooking

(BDSM) One who submits to a dominant partner in BDSM practices.

Tending to be stronger than its counterpart or used for the most important tasks or in the most pressing situations

(rare) One who submits.

(Genetics) Of, relating to, or being an allele that produces the same phenotypic effect in heterozygotes as in homozygotes.

Inclined or ready to submit; acknowledging one's inferiority; yielding; obedient; humble.

(Ecology) Of, relating to, or being a species that is most characteristic of an ecological community and usually determines the presence, abundance, and type of other species.

Showing a readiness to submit; expressing submission; as, a submissive demeanor.

(Music) Relating to or based on the fifth tone of a diatonic scale.

Inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination;

(Genetics) A dominant allele or a trait produced by a dominant allele.

Willing to submit without resistance to authority; deferent

(Ecology) A dominant species.

Abjectly submissive; characteristic of a slave or servant;

(Music) The fifth tone of a diatonic scale.

(music) 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.

(music) The triad built on the dominant tone.

(genetics) A gene that is dominant.

A species or organism that is dominant.

(BDSM) The dominating partner in sadomasochistic sexual activity.

Ruling; governing; prevailing

Predominant, common, prevalent, of greatest importance.

Preferred and used with greater dexterity than the other, as the right hand of a right-handed person or the left hand of a left-handed one.

(medicine) Designating the follicle which will survive atresia and permit ovulation.

(music) Being the dominant

Ruling; governing; prevailing; controlling; predominant; as, the dominant party, church, spirit, power.

The fifth tone of the scale; thus G is the dominant of C, A of D, and so on.

(music) the fifth note of the diatonic scale

Exercising influence or control;

Of genes; producing the same phenotype whether its allele is identical or dissimilar