-ance, -ancy

1. Greater or greatest importance, power, or influence: There is a predominance of English materials on the internet.
2. The state of being the most common or the greatest in number or amount: There was a predominance of chickens on the farmer's property in comparison to the number of cows that he had.

Max was told that there was a predominance of older people at the present time than at any other period in history.

© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

The condition of bearing a developing fetus in the uterus: Josephine's mother said that her pregnancy lasted 9 months before giving birth to her.

While going through pregnancy, Mike's cat became fatter and fatter and finally she had 4 little kittens!

1. Beyond the usual limits in weight, force, importance, or influence: The preponderance of factory buildings has made the city less healthy than it once was because of the pollutions in the air.
2. Excess numbers or being greater in amounts: The preponderance of poor people is increasing more and more on a global scale.

Estimates indicate that there is a preponderance of women among the older populations.

There is a preponderance of lawyers in the U.S. Congress compared to other professions.

© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

1. The place of origin of something: Stella thought it was good that the local grocery store in town presented the provenances of their fruit and vegetables.
2. The source and ownership in history of a work of art or literature, or of an archeological find: A spear on display in the museum had a sign saying it was of Viking provenance.
3. Literally, "to come forth":

1. Power to influence or to coerce: The chief executive officer has the puissance necessary to convince or to control the way people react to the economic conditions in his company.
2. Power, might, or force: The puissance of the mayor with his new local taxes was not appreciated by the citizens of the city.
3. Etymology: from late Middle-English, "great power, great influence"; from Old French, "power"; from puissant, "having power".

Although the cartoon is presenting an adjective, it is used here because it helps to understand this noun form.

© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more Mickey Bach illustrations.

1. Supplying something, especially food.
2. To prepare to do something in advance or to do something; to plan, to make provision before hand.

Failure to respond adequately to spinal anesthesia.

1. A person who is unwilling to obey orders or to do what should be done; or an animal that refuses to be controlled.
2. Being obstinately defiant of authority or of being restrained in any way; being unmanageable.