Prevalent

Prevalent
Prevalent Prev"a*lent, a. [L. praevalens, -entis, p. pr. of praevalere. See {Prevail}.] 1. Gaining advantage or superiority; having superior force, influence, or efficacy; prevailing; predominant; successful; victorious. [1913 Webster]

Brennus told the Roman embassadors, that prevalent arms were as good as any title. --Sir W. Raleigh. [1913 Webster]

2. Most generally received or current; most widely adopted or practiced; also, generally or extensively existing; widespread; prevailing; as, a prevalent observance; prevalent disease. [1913 Webster]

This was the most received and prevalent opinion. --Woodward. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Prevailing; predominant; successful; efficacious; powerful.

Usage: {Prevalent}, {Prevailing}. What customarily prevails is prevalent; as, a prevalent fashion. What actually prevails is prevailing; as, the prevailing winds are west. Hence, prevailing is the livelier and more pointed word, since it represents a thing in action. It is sometimes the stronger word, since a thing may prevail sufficiently to be called prevalent, and yet require greater strength to make it actually prevailing. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • prevalent — PREVALÉNT, Ă, prevalenţi, te, adj. (livr.) De importanţă majoră. ♦ Predominant. – Din lat. praevalens, tis, engl. prevalent. Trimis de oprocopiuc, 13.04.2004. Sursa: DEX 98  PREVALÉNT adj. v. predominant. Trimis de siveco, 13.09.2007. Sursa …   Dicționar Român

  • prevalent — prev‧a‧lent [ˈprevlənt] adjective frequent or common at a particular time or in a particular situation: • Sexual harassment is prevalent in the workplace. • the most prevalent mistakes made by individual investors * * * prevalent UK US… …   Financial and business terms

  • prévalent — ⇒PRÉVALENT, ENTE, adj. [En parlant d un inanimé abstr.] Qui prévaut, qui prédomine. Idéologie prévalente. L idée même de concurrence, dans une société civilisée, ne se forme pas sans l idée antécédente et prévalente de coopération (PERROUX, Écon …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • prévalent — prévalent, ente (entrée créée par le supplément) (pré va lan, lan t ) adj. Qui prévaut, qui prédomine. •   La science joue dans le monde un rôle de plus en plus prévalent, É. LITTRÉ la Philosophie positive, janvier février 1875, p. 119 …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • prevalent — [adj1] accepted, widespread accustomed, common, commonplace, current, customary, established, everyday, extensive, faddy, frequent, general, habitual, in use, latest*, latest word*, leading edge*, natural, new, normal, now*, ongoing, popular,… …   New thesaurus

  • prevalent — I adjective abundant, accepted, accustomary, accustomed, all embracing, ascendant, catholic, characteristic, chief, colloquial, common, commonplace, conformable, conventional, current, customary, dominant, epidemic, established, everyday,… …   Law dictionary

  • prevalent — early 15c., having great power or force, from L. praevalentem (nom. praevalens), prp. of praevalere to be more able (see PREVAIL (Cf. prevail)). Meaning extensively existing, in general use is from 1650s …   Etymology dictionary

  • prevalent — *prevailing, rife, current Analogous words: *common, ordinary, familiar: pervading, impregnating, saturating (see PERMEATE): *usual, wonted, accustomed, customary prevaricate *lie, equivocate, palter, fib Analogous words: evade, elude, *escape …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • prevalent — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ widespread in a particular area at a particular time. DERIVATIVES prevalence noun. ORIGIN from Latin praevalere (see PREVAIL(Cf. ↑prevailing)) …   English terms dictionary

  • prevalent — [prev′ə lənt] adj. [L praevalens, prp. of praevalere: see PREVAIL] 1. Rare stronger, more effective, etc.; dominant 2. a) widely existing b) generally practiced, occurring, or accepted SYN. PREVAILING prevalence [prev′ələns] …   English World dictionary

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