Dominant - Definition and Overview

The word dominant has several possible meanings:

• In music theory, the dominant or dominant note (second most important) of a key is that which is a perfect fifth above the tonic; in just intonation the note whose pitch is 1.5 times the frequency of the tonic note's pitch and in twelve tone equal temperament is 7 semitones or 700 cents above the tonic.
• In biology and in populations, a group, pair or, or individual can be the dominant animal in a group. Dominant animals take a higher position in a "pecking order", and may be the only animals allowed to breed within a group.
• In genetics, a dominant gene is one that is expressed when heterozygous with a recessive allele of the gene. It is a feature of diseases that inherit in an autosomal dominant fashion.
• In BDSM, Dominant is a more precise term for a top in BDSM - see dominant (BDSM)