Dominer

Dominer is a French verb meaning to dominate, to overpower, or to be superior to others. It can describe physical control, topographical prominence, or a metaphorical position of dominance in a field, competition, or relationship. The verb is transitive and commonly used with a direct object, though it can appear in passive constructions and in phrases indicating being dominated by something else.

Origin and cognates: Dominer derives from Latin dominare, from dominus meaning lord or master. The form entered Old French and later modern French with the sense of ruling or controlling. It is part of a family of words built on the root domin-, which also yields English dominate, domination, and related adjectives and nouns. Similar verbs exist in many Romance languages (dominar, dominare, dominar).

Conjugation and usage: Dominer is a regular -er verb. Present indicative: je domine, tu domines, il domine, nous dominons, vous dominez, ils dominent. Passé composé: j'ai dominé; imperfect: je dominais; future: je dominerai; conditional: je dominerais. Imperative: domine, dominons, dominez. It forms the basis of many common phrases such as dominer le marché (to dominate the market) or dominer un adversaire (to overpower an opponent).

Semantics and nuance: The sense ranges from neutral description of superiority to negative connotations of coercive control or tyranny. In scientific or technical language the related adjective dominant and nouns such as domination or dominance are widely used, and the concept is common in discussions of power dynamics, competition, and control. In other Romance languages, cognate verbs retain the same core meaning, reinforcing the shared root.