preponderance

/priˈpɑndrəns/

Other forms: preponderances

If there's a preponderance of something, there is A LOT of it. If you are a prosecutor, you are looking for a preponderance of evidence to convince the jury that the defendant is guilty.

The noun preponderance can also mean "superiority in weight or significance." This meaning is particularly reflective of the word's Latin roots in the word praeponderare, which means "outweigh." The noun can also mean "superiority in influence or importance." A country's economic preponderance, for example, might give it greater influence in international relations.

Definitions of preponderance

1. noun

   exceeding in heaviness; having greater weight
   “the least preponderance in either pan will unbalance the scale”

   type of:

   heaviness, weightiness

   the property of being comparatively great in weight
2. noun

   superiority in power or influence
   “the preponderance of good over evil”

   “the preponderance of wealth and power”

   type of:

   power, powerfulness

   possession of controlling influence
3. noun

   a superiority in numbers or amount
   “a preponderance of evidence against the defendant”

   synonyms: prevalence

   type of:

   figure, number

   the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals