Definition of disposition
1 : the act or the power of disposing or the state of being disposed: such asa : administration, controlb : final arrangement : settlement the disposition of the casec (1) : transfer to the care or possession of another (2) : the power of such transferald : orderly arrangement
2a : prevailing tendency, mood, or inclinationb : temperamental makeupc : the tendency of something to act in a certain manner under given circumstances
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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
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Lactose intolerance is just one of the things Habana has discovered since starting a partnership with DNAFit, a company that uses algorithms to determine people's genetic dispositions in regard to fitness and diet.
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That Backstrom has remained so close to his former teammate is a testament to Rinne’s patience and pleasant disposition.
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On a broad level the Lost Cause became a mood, or a disposition toward the past.
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The governor's actions resolve the final questions surrounding the disposition of bills considered by the General Assembly in the 90-day session that ended in April.
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The case shows the two had been separated since Dec. 8, 2015 when Melissa Jordan filed for divorce on June 20, 2016, alleging extreme cruelty, gross neglect of duty and fraudulent disposition of marital assets.
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Piper said he and others were devastated by the death of Boyer, who was known for his friendly disposition and willingness to lend help and advice.
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Like all those of melancholy disposition, Louis XIII was a habitual liar.
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Whether Trump steers the U.S. toward or away from Russia upon taking office is shaping up as the first major test of his foreign policy disposition and his willingness to buck fellow Republicans, who for years have argued Obama wasn’t tough enough.
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
First Known Use: 14th century
Synonym Discussion of disposition
DISPOSITION Defined for English Language Learners
disposition
playDefinition of disposition for English Language Learners
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: the usual attitude or mood of a person or animal
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: a tendency to act or think in a particular way
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: a tendency to develop a disease, condition, etc.
DISPOSITION Defined for Kids
disposition
playDefinition of disposition for Students
1 : a person's usual attitude or mood His disposition had been … sour lately. — Mildred D. Taylor, Roll of Thunder
3 : arrangement 1
Law Dictionary
disposition
Legal Definition of disposition
1a : 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
Learn More about disposition
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See words that rhyme with disposition Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for disposition Spanish Central: Translation of disposition Nglish: Translation of disposition for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of disposition for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about disposition
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