disposition

Q: What is the difference between 'disposition' and 'predisposition'?

Sometimes disposition and predisposition mean the same thing, and sometimes they do not. When refering to a person's usual mood or attitude you would speak of their disposition , not their predisposition . However, when referring to a person's tendency, or inclination, the two words are largely synonymous (one might have either a predisposition or a disposition towards being generous). An exception to this synonym comes in medical use, where it is far more common to use predisposition (as in "a predisposition to nearsightedness").

Q: What does 'disposition' mean in court?

In legal use the word disposition may have several possible meanings. It may refer to the sentence given to a convicted juvenile defendant, or to the final determination of a matter (such as a case or motion) by a court. It may also be defined as "transfer to the care, possession, or ownership of another" as well as "the power of such transferal."

Q: What does 'disposition' mean in business?

In business, disposition may refer either to "the transfer of property from one to another by any of various means including gift, barter, sale, or will" or to “the plan for or method by which such a transfer is executed.”

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dis·po·si·tion | \ ˌdi-spə-ˈzi-shən

Definition of disposition

1a : 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

Other Words from disposition Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Frequently Asked Questions About disposition Example Sentences Learn More About disposition

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

Frequently Asked Questions About disposition

What is the difference between disposition and predisposition?

Sometimes disposition and predisposition mean the same thing, and sometimes they do not. When refering to a person's usual mood or attitude you would speak of their disposition, not their predisposition. However, when referring to a person's tendency, or inclination, the two words are largely synonymous (one might have either a predisposition or a disposition towards being generous). An exception to this synonym comes in medical use, where it is far more common to use predisposition (as in "a predisposition to nearsightedness").

What does disposition mean in court?

In legal use the word disposition may have several possible meanings. It may refer to the sentence given to a convicted juvenile defendant, or to the final determination of a matter (such as a case or motion) by a court. It may also be defined as "transfer to the care, possession, or ownership of another" as well as "the power of such transferal."

What does disposition mean in business?

In business, disposition may refer either to "the transfer of property from one to another by any of various means including gift, barter, sale, or will" or to “the plan for or method by which such a transfer is executed.”

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. See More

Recent Examples on the Web Known by many for her fearless disposition, Schollaert, an off-duty U.S. Coast Guard member, reported the burglary by phone to the local sheriff’s office, then walked outside and confronted the man at gunpoint herself. — Melissa Chan, NBC News, 9 May 2022 Batfleck, known for their amiable disposition, may yet wage a culture war against Pattzman. — Darren Franich, EW.com, 5 Jan. 2022 Once known for his mild disposition, he was now unsettled by the smallest disruptions. — New York Times, 4 Jan. 2022 While most of Gabriel was surgically removed, the remaining part got stuffed into Madison's head and has now emerged from a dormant state with an extremely sour disposition. — Clark Collis, EW.com, 14 Mar. 2022 She was remembered as an adventurous world conqueror with a friendly disposition matched only by her larger-than-life personality. — Matt Bruce, ajc, 14 Jan. 2022 The judge's reversal on the prior bad acts testimony was cited by Balbert as one of the factors in the district attorney's office agreeing to the disposition of the case. — Staff And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2022 Given that the collection will be included in the disposition, teams of art historians will need to catalog and prepare the pieces for their new owners. — Jennifer Surane, Bloomberg.com, 16 Feb. 2022 Such shiver-inducing moments depend on the physical presence of performers, on the live acoustics of a space, on the disposition of an audience. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2022 See More

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.

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Dictionary Entries Near disposition

dispositio

disposition

dispositioned

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Last Updated

23 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Disposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disposition. Accessed 23 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for disposition

disposition

noun

dis·po·si·tion | \ ˌdis-pə-ˈzi-shən

Kids Definition of disposition

1 : a person's usual attitude or mood His disposition had been … sour lately.— Mildred D. Taylor, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

2 : tendency sense 1, liking She has a disposition to complain.

3 : arrangement sense 1

disposition

noun

dis·po·si·tion

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