disposition

noun dis·po·si·tion \ ˌdis-pə-ˈzi-shən \

Updated on: 24 Apr 2018

Definition of disposition

1 a : prevailing tendency, mood, or inclination

b : temperamental makeup

c : the tendency of something to act in a certain manner under given circumstances

2 : the act or the power of disposing or the state of being disposed: such as

a : administration, control

b : final arrangement : settlement

the disposition of the case

c (1) : transfer to the care or possession of another

(2) : the power of such transferal

d : orderly arrangement

—

dispositional

play \-ˈzish-nəl, -ˈzi-shə-nᵊl\ adjective

See disposition defined for English-language learners

See disposition defined for kids

Examples of disposition in a Sentence

They move jerkily, like puppets, but have a happy disposition; they are perpetually smiling and are given to frequent paroxysms of laughter. —Matt Ridley, Genome, 1999
… the eight species of wild equids (horses and their relatives) vary greatly in disposition, even though all eight are genetically so close to each other that they will interbreed and produce healthy (though usually sterile) offspring. —Jared Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel, 1997
His father, Increase [Mather], with all his faults—his sour, depressive disposition, his open preference for England—is much more attractive. —Monroe K. Spears, American Ambitions, 1987
Her easy disposition and sociability masked the intensity of her feelings. —John Edgar Wideman, Bothers and Keepers, 1984
a dog with an excellent disposition
Her disposition was to always think negatively.
He has a disposition toward criminal behavior.
people with a genetic disposition toward a particular disease
A will is a legal document that is used in the disposition of property.

Recent Examples of disposition from the Web

The company reported a 2.4% increase in revenue from organic growth -- a key metric that strips out acquisitions, dispositions and foreign-exchange fluctuations.

— alexandra bruell, WSJ, "Omnicom Grows, Despite Continuing Client Pressures," 17 Apr. 2018
Her always cheerful disposition earned her many friends.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "Margaret Jane Oryell," 16 Apr. 2018
Over time, even the most optimistic person can see their sunny disposition eroded by the machinations of the NFL.

— conor orr, SI.com, "Will Robert Griffin III Rebound in Baltimore?," 4 Apr. 2018
No matter what your current disposition, though, in this age of algorithmic overreach there's something deeply satisfying about finding stories beyond what your loudest Twitter follows shared, or that Facebook's News Feed optimized into your life.

— brian barrett, WIRED, "It's Time for an RSS Revival," 30 Mar. 2018
At the time of the theft, Kaczynski had been released pending disposition of a previous felony retail theft charge in Waukesha County circuit courts.

— jane ford-stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Tortoise thief's sister identifies him to West Allis police," 13 Mar. 2018
Your playful disposition is intensified when the sun moves into the Aries constellation on March 20.

— aliza kelly faragher, Allure, "What March's Sagittarius Horoscope Means for You," 28 Feb. 2018
Warmth is her default disposition, and when the conversation turns from music recommendations to hard childhood memories, her warm laugh dissipates any awkwardness like air.

— aliza abarbanel, Bon Appetit, "Jerrelle Guy Is Bringing #BlackGirlMagic Into The Kitchen," 14 Feb. 2018
But Douthat’s proposed solutions to the crisis, like his historical analyses and his disposition, are more pragmatic than truly traditionalist.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "Will Pope Francis Cause a Schism in the Catholic Church?," 7 Sep. 2015

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'disposition.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

What is the difference between disposition and predisposition?

What exactly is someone's disposition? And is it different from a predisposition? A person's disposition is his or her usual mood or attitude. Are you typically pretty happy? You could be described as having a happy—or cheerful, or sunny—disposition. Animals have dispositions too; a dog with a nervous disposition doesn't easily relax into a restful pup curled up at someone’s feet. In this use, disposition is a synonym of temperament; both words refer to the complex set of attitudes and inclinations that guide behavior.

Disposition can also mean "tendency" or "inclination," and in such cases it has a surprising synonym: predisposition. A disposition to exaggerate is the same as a predisposition to exaggerate. A disposition toward humility is likewise the same thing as a predisposition toward humility. The fact of being "in advance" that the prefix pre- implies hardly matters when tendency and inclination are concerned, since both concern what is likely to happen in the future.

While phrases like "a disposition to cooperate" are about as common as "a predisposition to cooperate," when the context is medical, predisposition is far more common. Phrases like "a genetic predisposition to nearsightedness" appear much more frequently in published, edited text than similar phrases employing disposition.

Origin and Etymology of disposition

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin disposition-, dispositio, from disponere — see ¹dispose

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

disposition Synonyms

Synonyms

affection, affinity, aptitude, bent, bias, bone, devices, genius, habitude, impulse, inclination, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn;

Near Antonyms

allergy, averseness, aversion, disfavor, disinclination, dislike, disliking, disrelish, distaste;

detachment, impartiality, neutrality, objectivity;

apathy, disinterestedness, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern;

endowment, faculty, flair, genius, gift, knack, talent;

addiction, appetite, fancy, fondness, like, liking, preference, taste;

forte, speciality, specialty;

convention, custom, habit, pattern, practice (also practise), routine, trick, way, wont;

eccentricity, idiosyncrasy, kink, oddity, peculiarity, quirk, singularity;

Synonym Discussion of disposition

disposition, temperament, temper, character, personality mean the dominant quality or qualities distinguishing a person or group. disposition implies customary moods and attitude toward the life around one.

- a cheerful disposition

temperament implies a pattern of innate characteristics associated with one's specific physical and nervous organization.

- an artistic temperament

temper implies the qualities acquired through experience that determine how a person or group meets difficulties or handles situations.

- a resilient temper

character applies to the aggregate of moral qualities by which a person is judged apart from intelligence, competence, or special talents.

- strength of character

personality applies to an aggregate of qualities that distinguish one as a person.

- a somber personality

Financial Definition of DISPOSITION

disposition

noun

What It Is

Disposition refers to disposing of an asset through sale, assignment, or other transfer method.

How It Works

When an investor sells stock or bonds in a particular company, the sale is referred to as a disposition of the stock or bonds. Insider trades are reported by a company as the disposition of shares to board members and executives. When a bank reviews its loans and decides to sell the collateral that has been taken in a foreclosure, it is referred to as a disposition of the loan assets.

Why It Matters

Disposition indicates a transfer of ownership of the asset. The asset is sold or relinquished. Disposition can also describe an asset held as collateral on a loan.

Source: Investing Answers

DISPOSITION Defined for English Language Learners

disposition

noun

Definition of disposition for English Language Learners

: the usual attitude or mood of a person or animal
: a tendency to act or think in a particular way
: a tendency to develop a disease, condition, etc.

DISPOSITION Defined for Kids

disposition

noun dis·po·si·tion \ ˌdis-pə-ˈzi-shən \

Definition of disposition for Students

1 : a person's usual attitude or mood

His disposition had been … sour lately.
—Mildred D. Taylor, Roll of Thunder

2 : tendency 1, liking

She has a disposition to complain.

3 : arrangement 1

Law Dictionary

disposition

noun dis·po·si·tion

legal Definition of disposition

1 a : the final determination of a matter (as a case or motion) by a court or quasi-judicial tribunal

the beneficiary of such a disposition of charges against him
—United States v. Smith, 354 A.2d 510 (1976)

— compare decision, holding, judgment, opinion, ruling, verdict

b : the sentence given to a convicted criminal defendant

probation is often a desirable disposition
—W. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel

also : the sentence given to or treatment prescribed for a juvenile offender

2 : transfer to the care, possession, or ownership of another

to either a surviving spouse or a charity, those dispositions are totally exonerated from the payment of taxes
—Matter of McKinney, 477 N.Y.S.2d 367 (1984)

also : the power of such transferral

3 : the state or condition of being predisposed : predisposition