Predominant - predominate

Be careful not to use the verb predominate when you need the adjective predominant - and not to use predominately at all. Although it does exist, the only definition given in OED is "= PREDOMINANTLY adv."

• 'To predominate is a verb built from 'to dominate' + the intensifying prefix 'pre-'. So it means 'to dominate strongly or powerfully', 'to have the greatest influence [over]', 'to be the leading factor [in a decision, etc]'.
• The adjective predominant is the English form of the Latin -ing participle of the verb 'to predominate'. It means much the same as dominant - which is of course formed the same way - with a slightly stronger emphasis. 'Dominant' means 'with a powerful effect', whereas 'predominant' means 'with an effect more powerful than the other influences'. Do not use predominate as an adjective.
  • So the adverb to be used with this meaning is predominantly.

AWE's advice is not to use predominately at all

Note the spelling: predominantly is one of the 117 mis-spellings listed as 'Common difficulties' in the section on 'Spelling' within 'Writing' in UEfAP