predilection

WOTD – 8 September 2007    

See also prédilection

English

Alternative forms

• prædilection (archaic)

Etymology

From French prédilection.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˌpɹiːdəˈlɛkʃn/, X-SAMPA: /%pri:d@"lEkSn/
• (US) IPA: /ˌpɹɛdəˈlɛkʃn/, X-SAMPA: /%prEd@"lEkSn/
• Rhymes: -ɛkʃən

Noun

predilection (plural predilections)

1. Condition of favoring or liking; tendency towards; proclivity; predisposition.
   • 1987, Edwin M. Yoder Jr., "Lewis Powell a Fine Sense of Balance," Washington Post, 29 Jun.,

     But for him the first rule of judging was to set aside personal predilection and vote the law and the facts.

   • 2000, Terry McCarthy, "Lost Generation," Time Asia, 23 Oct.,

     ... youth’s predilection for revolt.

   • 2001, Marina Cantacuzino, "On deadly ground," The Guardian, 13 Mar.,

     Wilson doesn’t see any inconsistency between his socialism and his predilection for the high life.

Translations

tendency towards

• Dutch: neiging (nl) f, voorkeur (nl) f, voorliefde (nl) f
• Finnish: mieltymys (fi)
• Hindi:  (hi) (khichaav)
• Hungarian: előszeretet (hu), részrehajlás (hu)
• Romanian: predilecție (ro) f

• Russian: склонность (ru) (sklónnost’) f, предрасположенность (ru) (predraspolóžennost’) f
• Serbo-Croatian: sklonost (sh), predilekcija (sh) f
• Spanish: predilección (es) f