Word of the Day - 03/22/26
preponderance
/prɪ'pɑndərəns/(n.): a superiority in numbers, weight, importance or amount
The jury found that, based on the witnesses and documents, it was more likely than not that the company had breached the contract, meeting the preponderance of the evidence standard.
Word Origin
The word 'preponderance' originates from Late Latin 'praeponderantia', a noun formed from the verb 'praeponderare', meaning 'to outweigh, to be heavier'. This verb is composed of 'prae-' (before, in front of, more than) and 'ponderare' (to weigh), which itself comes from 'pondus' (weight). Therefore, 'preponderance' refers to the state of being greater in weight, quantity, power, or importance. The suffix '-ance' is a noun-forming suffix, coming into English through Old French from Latin '-antia'.
Words with similar origins include 'ponder' (from Latin 'ponderare'), 'ponderous' (from Latin 'ponderosus', heavy), and 'preponderate' (the verb form of the concept). The English word 'pound' (as a unit of weight) also shares a root with 'pondus' in Latin, specifically 'pondo' (by weight).
As a reminder, here are all of the words from this week:
adroit sibilant hiraeth
preponderance
See if you can remember all of this week's words! Here is a sentence that includes all seven, followed by a version that simplifies them to help you remember:
The adroit hero, upon learning the portent of the preponderance of rancor from the sibilant speech of the oracle, felt a deep hiraeth for the verdant fields of home.The clever hero, upon learning the warning of growing bitterness from the whispering speech of the oracle, felt a nostalgic longing for the lush green fields of home.