different between prevalent vs prevail

English

Alternative forms

• prævalent (archaic)

Etymology

From Latin praeval?ns; surface analysis pre- +? -valent.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p??v?l?nt/
• Hyphenation: prev?a?lent

Adjective

prevalent (comparative more prevalent, superlative most prevalent)

1. Widespread or preferred.
2. Superior in frequency or dominant.

Synonyms

• (widespread): common, rife; see also Thesaurus:widespread

Translations

See also

• prevalently
• prevalence

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “prevalent”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

English

Etymology

From Middle English prevailen, from Old French prevaler, from Latin praevale? (“be very able or more able, be superior, prevail”), from prae (“before”) + vale? (“be able or powerful”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p???ve?l/
• Rhymes: -e?l
• Hyphenation: pre?vail

Verb

prevail (third-person singular simple present prevails, present participle prevailing, simple past and past participle prevailed)

1. (intransitive) To be superior in strength, dominance, influence or frequency; to have or gain the advantage over others; to have the upper hand; to outnumber others.

   Red colour prevails in the Canadian flag.

   • , Exodus 17:11

     And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

2. (intransitive) To be current, widespread or predominant; to have currency or prevalence.

   In his day and age, such practices prevailed all over Europe.

3. (intransitive) To succeed in persuading or inducing.

   I prevailed on him to wait.
4. (transitive, obsolete) To avail.

Derived terms

• cooler heads will prevail

Related terms

• prevalence
• prevalent

Translations

References

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

Anagrams

• pervial