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proclivity

proclivity

19 8.5
A natural liking or habit of doing something, often a bad thing
  • noun
  • /prəˈklɪvɪti/
translation icon : propensión
  • His proclivity for excessive spending often puts him in financial difficulties.
  • proclivity for guilt
  • sexual proclivity
  • strong proclivity

What's the connection of this desire for power and our proclivity for violence?

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Examples

  • Rehabilitation is the reduction of an offender's proclivity to reoffend through treatment.

    Academic text (1998)
  • We don't know their temperament or their proclivities.

  • But some people are just born with the proclivity to do certain things.

  • But you know, you have to have a rule breaking proclivity in order to manage that.

  • That sort of particular proclivity in human nature was set free to do its best and its worst.

  • Most kids show proclivity at five or six.

  • And I also have a proclivity towards depression.

  • You have to know enough about your audiences and their proclivities in order to reach them.

  • And everyone has this proclivity to some degree as they're deeply self-conscious and uncertain.

  • Naomi Schor has written at length about what she sees as Emma's proclivity for writing.

    Academic text (1994)

Synonyms

tendency
vsproclivity
316 2.8

A usual way of behaving, thinking, or changing

narrows to a personal habit that often suggests moral fault
inclination
vsproclivity
61 4.2

A natural tendency to want or choose something

highlights natural urge especially when it leads to bad behaviour
penchant
vsproclivity
37 8.2

A strong liking for something you do often

implies a tendency often leaning toward bad acts rather than simple liking
propensity
vsproclivity
36 7.3

A natural tendency to behave in a certain way

is similar but often implies the tendency is morally bad
weakness
vsproclivity
34 3.3

A strong liking for something that may be bad for you

focuses on natural tendency to do wrong rather than mere fondness
leaning
vsproclivity
19 3.4

A tendency to prefer one idea or activity

means a stronger habit with moral risk rather than a mild preference
predilection
vsproclivity
13 8.4

A strong liking for something, like a type of food or music

suggests an inclination more tied to wrongdoing or bad habit
predisposition
vsproclivity
9 7.1

A tendency to think or behave in a certain way because of past experiences

emphasizes bad or unwise tendency rather than its cause
aptness
vsproclivity
7.0

A natural tendency to act or learn in a certain way

stresses a usual bad tendency in behaviour rather than mere suitability

Antonyms

31 6.5

A strong dislike of something or someone

How Strong

penchant
37 8.2
propensity
36 7.3
proclivity
19 8.5
tendency
316 2.8
inclination
61 4.2
leaning
19 3.4

Surface Forms

proclivity singular
proclivities plural

Morphology

proclivity = pro + cliv + ity

The word is analyzable as pro- + cliv- + -ity and the meaning 'tendency' relates to the notion of 'leaning', but the combining form 'cliv' (and no obvious English base like 'clivity') is not a productive standalone word for most learners, so the relation is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Proclivity comes from Latin parts pro- meaning 'forward' and clivus meaning 'slope' or 'lean', so imagine someone naturally leaning down a slope. A proclivity is a natural 'lean' toward a way of behaving or a liking, often for something bad.