prevalent

/ˈpɹɛvələnt/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: prevalents

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Widespread or preferred.

Adjective

Examples

Athletes' use of herbal supplements has skyrocketed in the past two decades. At the top of the list of popular herbs are echinacea and ginseng, whereas garlic, St. John's wort, soybean, ephedra and others are also surging in popularity or have been historically prevalent.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Superior in frequency or dominant.

Adjective

Examples

Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers.[…]Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster. Clever financial ploys are what have made billionaires of the industry’s veterans. “Operational improvement” in a portfolio company has often meant little more than promising colossal

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

A species that is prevalent in a certain area.

Noun

Examples

The species I found to be most prevalent on the Spring Green study site were compared with lists of prevalents in compositionally related communities of Wisconsin developed by Curtis (1959).

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “prevalent” mean?

Widespread or preferred.

Is “prevalent” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.