Prévalents

Prévalents is the masculine plural form of the French adjective prévalent, meaning “that prevails” or “dominant.” It describes elements, factors, or traits that are most common or influential within a given context. The word derives from the verb prévaloir, itself from Latin praevalere “to be stronger, prevail.”

Usage in scholarly writing often uses prévalents to label prevailing factors, norms, or conditions in a population, culture, or system. For example: “Les facteurs prévalents dans l’échantillon étaient le niveau d’éducation et le statut socioéconomique.” It can describe patterns in sociology, political science, linguistics, or market analyses.

Differences with related terms: prévalent is the adjective that agrees with the noun it modifies; feminine forms are prévalente (singular) and prévalentes (plural). The noun prévalence denotes the proportion or rate at which something prevails, commonly used in epidemiology and statistics to measure how widespread a condition or attribute is at a given time. The distinction highlights a qualitative dominance (prévalents) versus a quantitative measure (prévalence).

Examples and nuance: the term emphasizes dominance rather than mere frequency. A factor can be prevalent across groups yet not equally influential. Common pairings include “valeurs prévalentes,” “normes prévalentes,” or “comportements prévalents.” In cross-cultural studies, researchers may compare prévalents across contexts or over time.

See also: Prévaloir, prévalence, normalisation, domination.