predominant

In music theory, a predominant chord (also pre-dominant) is any chord which normally resolves to a dominant chord. Examples of predominant chords are the subdominant (IV, iv), supertonic (ii, ii°), Neapolitan sixth and Augmented sixth. Other examples are the secondary dominant (V/V) and secondary leading tone chord. Predominant chords may lead to secondary dominants. Predominant chords both expand away from the tonic and lead to the dominant, affirming the dominant's pull to the tonic. Thus they lack the stability of the tonic and the drive towards resolution of the dominant. The predominant harmonic function is part of the fundamental harmonic progression of many classical works. The submediant (vi) may be considered a predominant chord or a tonic substitute.