different between preponderance vs preponderate

English

Etymology

From preponderant +? -ance (suffix forming nouns indicating a condition or state); preponderant is derived from Latin praeponder?ns, the present active participle, or praeponderant, the third-person plural present active indicative, of praeponder? (“to give more influence or weight to, preponderate”), from prae- (prefix meaning ‘before; in front’) + ponder? (“to weigh; to ponder, reflect on, weigh up”) (from pondus (“weight; a pound; consequence, importance”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- (“to stretch”)).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /p???p?nd???ns/, /p???p?nd??ns/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /p???p?nd???ns/, /p???p?nd??ns/
• Hyphenation: pre?pon?der?ance

Noun

preponderance (countable and uncountable, plural preponderances)

1. (obsolete) Greater physical weight.

   Synonym: (obsolete) preponderancy

   1. (specifically, weaponry, historical) The excess of weight of that part of a cannon behind the trunnions over that in front of them.
2. Superiority in amount or number; the bulk or majority; also, a large amount or number; an abundance, a profusion.

   Synonym: (obsolete) preponderancy
3. Superiority of influence, power, a quality, etc.; an outweighing, predominance, pre-eminence.

   Synonyms: (obsolete) preponderancy, preponderation

Alternative forms

• praeponderance (obsolete, rare)
• præponderance (obsolete, rare)

Derived terms

• preponderance of evidence, preponderance of the evidence

Related terms

Translations

References

Further reading

• preponderance in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• preponderance in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

English

Etymology

From Latin praeponderatus, past participle of praeponder?re (“to outweigh”)

Verb

preponderate (third-person singular simple present preponderates, present participle preponderating, simple past and past participle preponderated)

1. (transitive) To outweigh; to be heavier than; to exceed in weight

   Synonym: overbalance

   • 1665, Joseph Glanvill, Scepsis Scientifica

     an inconsiderable weight by virtue of its distance from the Centre of the Ballance, will preponderate much greater magnitudes

2. (transitive) To overpower by stronger or moral power.
3. (transitive, obsolete) To cause to prefer; to incline; to decide.
4. (intransitive) To exceed in weight; hence, to predominate

Related terms

• preponder
• preponderance
• preponderant

References

• preponderate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• preponderate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.