proclivity
Americannoun
plural
proclivitiesnoun
Etymology
Origin of proclivity
1585–95; < Latin prōclīvitās tendency, literally, a steep descent, steepness, equivalent to prōclīv ( is ) sloping forward, steep ( prō- pro- 1 + clīv ( us ) slope + -is adj. suffix) + -itās -ity
Compare meaning
How does proclivity compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A proclivity is a natural tendency to like something, such as your sister's proclivity for restaurants that serve hot, spicy food. When you have a proclivity, it feels automatic — you like what you like; you don't even have to think about it. The origin of the word proclivity supports this feeling. Proclivity comes from the Latin word proclivis, which literally means "sloping forward." You slide toward a proclivity — no effort is needed. You just give in to it, since you're headed in that direction naturally.
Vocabulary lists containing proclivity
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The battle group’s youngest members are showing a proclivity for using new tech to solve problems; one soldier recently 3-D-printed a replacement for a broken fuse box cover.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
Fans who attended those gigs will know that Ridings hasn't completely abandoned her proclivity for a heartbroken love song.
From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026
Growing up in Brighton Beach, Sedaka exhibited a musical proclivity at an early age, earning a piano scholarship to Juilliard’s children’s division when he was 8 years old.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026
The most notable stock-market research over the weekend comes from academia, where researchers studied those rascals in Congress and their proclivity to trade.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 1, 2025
And that's why my parents were convinced that it was my proclivity for sweets and aversion to vegetables that caused my acne.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
