prepotent

Prepotent is an adjective that describes something with superior power, influence, or authority; it can refer to a dominant trait, force, or influence. In psychology and behavioral sciences, the term often describes an automatic or dominant response tendency that a person or animal is predisposed to produce in response to a stimulus. Such prepotent responses are typically strong, rapid, and can resist deliberate control, making inhibition or cognitive control necessary to override them. The term is frequently used in tasks requiring executive function, such as inhibiting a habitual response.

In genetics and developmental biology, prepotent has been used to describe traits or alleles that are especially influential in determining phenotype, particularly in heterozygotes where one allele tends to be expressed more strongly or consistently than others. In this sense, a prepotent trait may overshadow alternative phenotypic possibilities and appear reliably in offspring, reflecting dominance, penetrance, or expressivity patterns.

In ethology and comparative psychology, prepotent stimuli or responses refer to cues and actions that readily evoke a reflexive or instinctive reaction, often requiring intentional intervention to alter behavior.

The term derives from Latin praepotens, meaning “having power beforehand” or “preeminent.” It has been used in scientific literature since at least the 18th or 19th century to convey dominance or primary influence across disciplines.