preponderance
UK /pɹɪˈpɒndəɹəns/ · US /pɹəˈpɑndəɹəns/ noun
Forms preponderances praeponderance præponderance
- noun Superiority in amount or number; the bulk or majority; also, a large amount or number; an abundance, a profusion.
- noun Superiority of influence, power, a quality, etc.; an outweighing, predominance, pre-eminence.
- noun (obsolete) Greater physical weight.
- noun (specifically, weaponry, historical) The excess of weight of that part of a cannon behind the trunnions over that in front of them.
Synonyms
weight preponderancy preponderation prevalence
Etymology
Cf. F. prépondérance.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The quality or state of being preponderant; superiority or excess of weight, influence, or power, etc.; an outweighing.
- noun The excess of weight of that part of a canon behind the trunnions over that in front of them.
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “preponderance”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details