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
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."
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
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
The seemingly growing American predilection to take on side gigs has helped recraft conventional assumptions about the workforce.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Instead, the predilection to keep to a certain set of words is presumably to make life easier for readers.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
His tire warm-up work on Mercedes’ cool-weather predilection sent him to Las Vegas glory.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 20 June 2025
In All of this makes Fort Lauderdale’s current bullishness even more exceptional because the forces underpinning it aren’t being driven by Florida’s frequent predilection for opportunism and myopia.
—Peter Lane Taylor, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for predilection
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Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Instead, the predilection to keep to a certain set of words is presumably to make life easier for readers.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
His tire warm-up work on Mercedes’ cool-weather predilection sent him to Las Vegas glory.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 20 June 2025
In All of this makes Fort Lauderdale’s current bullishness even more exceptional because the forces underpinning it aren’t being driven by Florida’s frequent predilection for opportunism and myopia.
—Peter Lane Taylor, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for predilection
Cite this Entry
“Predilection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/predilection. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
predilection
noun
pre·di·lec·tion
ˌpred-ᵊl-ˈek-shən
ˌprēd-
: a natural liking for something
a predilection for adventure stories
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