I. -əˌrāt, usu -ād.+V verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin praeponderatus, past participle of praeponderare to exceed in weight or influence, preponderate, from prae- pre- + ponderare to weigh, from ponder-, pondus weight — more at pendant
transitive verb
1. archaic : outweigh
2. archaic : to weigh down : incline
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to exceed in weight : turn the scale
when surplus energy has accumulated in such bulk as to preponderate over productive energy — Brooks Adams
b. : to descend or incline downward : become weighed down
2. : to exceed in influence, power, or importance : predominate
state ownership will inevitably preponderate in the heavy industries — Owen & Eleanor Lattimore
3. : to exceed in numbers : form a majority
it is the first glory of this volume that such poems preponderate in it — Times Literary Supplement
II. -_rə̇t adjective
Etymology: Latin praeponderatus, past participle of praeponderare
: preponderant
• pre·pon·der·ate·ly adverb