preponderancia
/pɾepondeˈɾanθja/feminine
The English phrase 'preponderance' translates to Spanish as preponderancia.
preponderancia refers to a superiority of influence, power, etc.
Meaning: superiority of influence, power, etc. (noun)
Which one should you use?
While predominancia refers to being the most frequent or visible, preponderancia specifically emphasizes a superiority in weight, influence or importance.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is feminine and is used with the definite article la (as in la preponderancia). The adjective form of the noun is preponderante.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɾepondeˈɾanθja/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, preponderancia is considered a 'cultismo', a word derived directly from Latin that avoided the usual phonetic changes most Spanish words underwent over centuries.
- Because it is a 'cultismo', you will rarely see preponderancia used in casual street slang, as its usage is almost exclusively reserved for academic, legal, or high-literary registers.
- The root of the word, ponderar, is the same verb used in Spanish to mean 'to weigh' or 'to consider' something carefully.
Examples in context
- En el caso presentado, la preponderancia de la evidencia respalda la acusación.In the presented case, the preponderance of evidence supports the accusation.
- La preponderancia de su opinión cambió la decisión.The preponderance of his opinion changed the decision.
- Existe una clara preponderancia de la cultura local.There is a clear preponderance of the local culture.
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are discussing political influence in a city.
- SofíaLa preponderancia de ese partido es preocupante.The preponderance of that party is worrying.
- MateoTienes razón, controlan casi todas las decisiones.You're right, they control almost all the decisions.
- SofíaEs difícil competir contra tanta preponderancia.It is difficult to compete against such preponderance.
- MateoExacto, necesitan nuevos líderes pronto.Exactly, they need new leaders soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “preponderance” translations and entries preponderancia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
