predilection

noun

pre·​di·​lec·​tion ˌpre-də-ˈlek-shən 

ˌprē-

: an established preference for something

a predilection for spicy food

… a wonderfully spunky heroine with a smart mouth, a bad attitude and a predilection for trouble. [=a tendency to get into trouble]

—Publishers Weekly

Did you know?

Predilection Has a Versatile Latin Root

Predilection comes from French prédilection and Latin praediligere, meaning "to love more" or "to prefer." In Latin, diligere means "to love."

Synonyms

• affection
• affinity
• aptitude
• bent
• bias
• bone
• devices
• disposition
• genius
• habitude
• impulse
• inclination
• leaning
• partiality
• penchant
• predisposition
• proclivity
• propensity
• tendency
• turn

Choose the Right Synonym for predilection

predilection, prepossession, prejudice, bias mean an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something.

predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience.

a predilection for travel

prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it.

a prepossession against technology

prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance.

a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar

bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing.

a strong bias toward the plaintiff

Examples of predilection in a Sentence

The predilection of certain upper-class Englishmen toward eccentricity and playacting lent itself well to this endeavor. —Robert D. Kaplan, The Arabists, 1993

Even seated in the witness chair, he did not remove the light-colored, belted raincoat that, in common with knee-high boots, is a predilection of the Nazi-minded and that, in his case, was nearly identical to the raincoat Hitler habitually wore. —Kay Boyle, "Preface from the Smoking …," 1950, in Words that Must Somehow be Said: Selected Essays of Kay Boyle 1927–1984,  1985

The marine sergeants are generally tall fellows with unyielding spines and stiff upper lips, and very exclusive in their tastes and predilections. —Herman Melville, White Jacket, 1850

a young lad with a predilection for telling tall tales

Recent Examples on the Web

Like many of China’s corporate elite, several of ByteDance’s honchos have shown a predilection for the prosperous city state in past years. —Zheping Huang, Fortune Asia, 8 May 2024

This predilection has also created new divisions among Democrats, between those who argue for greater cost control and advocates of ideas like Modern Monetary Theory, who see deficits as less of a problem. —TIME, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French prédilection, from Medieval Latin praediligere to love more, prefer, from Latin prae- + diligere to love — more at diligent

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

predilection

noun

pre·​di·​lec·​tion ˌpred-ᵊl-ˈek-shən 

ˌprēd-

: a natural liking for something

a predilection for adventure stories