Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A partiality or disposition in favor of something; a preference.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A prepossession of the mind in favor of something; a preference.
- n. Synonyms Liking, Attachment, etc. (see love), partiality, inclination (toward), preference.
Wiktionary
- n. Condition of favoring or liking; tendency towards; proclivity; predisposition.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A previous liking; a prepossession of mind in favor of something; predisposition to choose or like; partiality.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a predisposition in favor of something
- n. a strong liking
Etymologies
- French prédilection, from Old French, from Medieval Latin praedīlēctus, past participle of praedīligere, to prefer : Latin prae-, pre- + Latin dīligere, to love; see diligent.
Examples
“Of course, my predilection is for reporting, and any pundity I do I like to keep subordinate to the reportage.”
“Personally, my predilection is toward the no-tilt side.”
“Does a secret murmur here demand: if a discerning predilection is no crime, why, internally at least, may it not be cherished? whom can it injure or offend, that, in the hidden recesses of my own breast, I nourish superior preference of superior worth?”
“Whatever your predilection is as a filmmaker, as the technologies and modes of delivery emerge … if you want to do abstract, feminist, animations with meat … you’ll be able to find your consumer.”
“He built an hospital for the sick of all kinds, but the objects of his predilection were the lepers, and those hopelessly afflicted.”
“If our Lord will require His flock at the hands of their pastors, He will undoubtedly require from them a stricter account of that part of his flock for which he has always shown a particular predilection, that is, for children.”
“This American predilection, which is neither good nor bad, has resulted in movies that are grand social documents Schindler's”
“Because I very much enjoy reading about people's lives an unappreciative therapist might term my predilection voyeurism, I gravitate toward the biography and memoir section of libraries and bookstores.”
“He was a very pious Catholic, for example, and therefore a great believer in tradition, in institutions, in authority and so on, so that I think that throughout my life I've had this kind of predilection even in my most radical period.”
The De-Moralization of Society: From Victorian Virtues to Modern Values
“They contended that his representation of such clients amounted to a "predilection" toward such views, despite Mr. Ogden's assertions during his Judiciary hearings that he found child pornography abhorrent.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘predilection’.
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GRE Barrons Wordlist
A complete Barron's Wordlist for GRE preparation. Your online flashcard replacement.
abase, abash, abate, abbreviate, abdicate, aberrant, aberration, abet, abeyance, abhor, abject, abjure and 4084 more...
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PART 2: 100 Word You Should Know To Be Able To ...
Here are 40 advanced English words which should you be able to use them in a sentence will impress even educated native speakers! Perfect if you want to impress the examiner in examinations like: I...
jubilant, knell, lithe, lurid, maverick, maxim, meticulous, modicum, morose, myriad, nadir, nominal and 28 more...
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#faveword
Words chosen as favorites for the Twitter hashtag #faveword.
autumnal, grotto, chiaroscuro, sfumato, homunculus, zing, zest, effervescent, bewitch, avuncular, susurrus, Styrofoam and 205 more...
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vocab 3
predilection, vagrant, stint, insinuate, incendiary, heedless, nonchalant, writhe, queasy, incandescest, hauteur, castigate and 24 more...
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Summers Vocabulary # 2
jejune, ingratiate, congruent, cryptic, beleaguer, tangential, impregnable, predilection, surly, dolorous, untoward, renege
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Words I met in Fall 2011
Noelle Knight "'Bubba' had an unfortunate predilection for cat blood, and he was addlepated, and he could only follow the simplest directions;..." -Club Dead, by Charlaine Harris Feb 5, 2011