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Tuesday February 09, 2010

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proclivity [pro-KLIV-uh-tee]

noun

1. A natural inclination; propensity; predisposition.

• Still, Brown connected with voters frustrated with the slow pace of economic recovery and disapproving of the sweep of Congress' healthcare overhaul. He stayed on message -- successfully battling his proclivity for verbal gaffes.
  Kathleen Hennessey, "Who is Scott Brown?; The senator-elect who upended expectations in Massachusetts is part everyman -- and part mystery", Los Angeles Times, Jan 24, 2010
• The strategic planning that has focused on expanding the presence of advertising Savannah in additional markets to attract new tourists - and capitalizing on their proclivity for repeat visits - should provide a solid foundation for a return to growth in 2010.
  Michael Toma, "UNDERSTANDING THE REGIONAL ECONOMY: TOURISM", Savannah Morning News, Jan 13, 2010
• Guy was exceedingly particular, and developed a wonderful proclivity to find fault with everything I admired.
  Mary J. Holmes (1828 - 1907) was an American author. Miss McDonald

Origin of the Word

Proclivity, approximately 1591, derives from Latin proclivitas "a tendency, propensity," from proclivis "prone to," literally "sloping," from pro- "forward" + clivus "a slope."