The Collaborative International Dictionary
Dominant \Dom"i*nant\, a. [L. dominans, -antis, p. pr. of dominari: cf. F. dominant. See Dominate.] Ruling; governing; prevailing; controlling; predominant; as, the dominant party, church, spirit, power.
The member of a dominant race is, in his dealings with
the subject race, seldom indeed fraudulent, . . . but
imperious, insolent, and cruel.
--Macaulay.
Dominant estate or Dominant tenement (Law), the estate to
which a servitude or easement is due from another estate,
the estate over which the servitude extends being called
the servient estate or tenement.
--Bouvier.
--Wharton's
Law Dict.
Dominant owner (Law), one who owns lands on which there is an easement owned by another.
Syn: Governing; ruling; controlling; prevailing; predominant; ascendant.
Usage examples of "dominant tenement".
Hence, to test the existence of a mere possession of this sort which the law will protect, we will take the case of a way used de facto for four years, but in which no easement has yet been acquired, and ask whether the possessor of the quasi dominant tenement would be protected in his use as against third persons.