Dominant vs. Subordinate — What's the Difference?

Exercising the most power, control, or influence

Lower in rank or position

Most abundant or conspicuous; predominant

A person under the authority or control of another within an organization

Higher; overlooking

Treat or regard as of lesser importance than something else

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

Belonging to a lower or inferior class or rank; secondary.

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

Subject to the authority or control of another.

(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.

One that is subordinate.

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

To put in a lower or inferior rank or class.

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

To make subservient; subdue.

(Ecology) A dominant species.

Placed in a lower class, rank, or position.

(Music) The fifth tone of a diatonic scale.

Submissive or inferior to, or controlled by authority.

(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.

Dependent on and either modifying or complementing the main clause

(music) The triad built on the dominant tone.

Descending in a regular series.

(genetics) A gene that is dominant.

(countable) One who is subordinate.

A species or organism that is dominant.

(transitive) To make subservient.

(BDSM) The dominating partner in sadomasochistic sexual activity.

(transitive) To treat as of less value or importance.

Ruling; governing; prevailing

To make of lower priority in order of payment in bankruptcy.

Predominant, common, prevalent, of greatest importance.

Placed in a lower order, class, or rank; holding a lower or inferior position.

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.

Inferior in order, nature, dignity, power, importance, or the like.

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

One who stands in order or rank below another; - distinguished from a principal.

(music) Being the dominant

To place in a lower order or class; to make or consider as of less value or importance; as, to subordinate one creature to another.

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

To make subject; to subject or subdue; as, to subordinate the passions to reason.

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

An assistant subject to the authority or control of another

(music) the fifth note of the diatonic scale

A word that is more specific than a given word

Exercising influence or control;

Rank or order as less important or consider of less value;

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

Make subordinate, dependent, or subservient;

Lower in rank or importance

Subject or submissive to authority or the control of another;

Of a clause; unable to stand alone syntactically as a complete sentence;

Inferior in rank or status;