From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Prevalent \Prev"a*lent\, a. [L. praevalens, -entis, p. pr. of
praevalere. See {Prevail}.]
1. Gaining advantage or superiority; having superior force,
influence, or efficacy; prevailing; predominant;
successful; victorious.
[1913 Webster]
Brennus told the Roman embassadors, that prevalent
arms were as good as any title. --Sir W.
Raleigh.
[1913 Webster]
2. Most generally received or current; most widely adopted or
practiced; also, generally or extensively existing;
widespread; prevailing; as, a prevalent observance;
prevalent disease.
[1913 Webster]
This was the most received and prevalent opinion.
--Woodward.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Prevailing; predominant; successful; efficacious;
powerful.
Usage: {Prevalent}, {Prevailing}. What customarily prevails
is prevalent; as, a prevalent fashion. What actually
prevails is prevailing; as, the prevailing winds are
west. Hence, prevailing is the livelier and more
pointed word, since it represents a thing in action.
It is sometimes the stronger word, since a thing may
prevail sufficiently to be called prevalent, and yet
require greater strength to make it actually
prevailing.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
prevalent
adj 1: most frequent or common; "prevailing winds" [syn:
{prevailing}, {prevalent}, {predominant}, {dominant},
{rife}]
From Dutch-English Freedict Dictionary ver. 0.1.3 [fd-nld-eng]:
prevalent /prevalɛnt/
superior
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