prone

1
[ prohn ]
/ proʊn /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR prone ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

having a natural inclination or tendency to something; disposed; liable: to be prone to anger.
having the front or ventral part downward; lying face downward.
lying flat; prostrate.
having a downward direction or slope.
having the palm downward, as the hand.

QUIZZES

HEED THE VOX POPULI, AND TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Test your memory on these verbal firecrackers from the week of June 29 to July 5!
Question 1 of 7
anchorite
a granular metamorphic rock.
a person who has retired to a solitary place for a life of religious seclusion.
a hobble or fetter for a horse or other animal.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of prone

1
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin prōnus turned or leaning forward, inclined downward, disposed, prone

OTHER WORDS FROM prone

prone·ly, adverbprone·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH prone

prone prostate prostrate supine

Words nearby prone

pronasion, pronatalism, pronate, pronation, pronator, prone, prone float, prone pressure method, pronephros, prong, prong key

Definition for prone (2 of 2)

prone2
[ prohn ]
/ proʊn /

noun

a sermon or a brief hortatory introduction to a sermon, usually delivered at a service at which the Eucharist is celebrated.

Origin of prone

2
First recorded in 1660–70, prone is from the French word prône grill, grating (separating chancel from nave); so called because notices and addresses were delivered there
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to prone

devoted, exposed, susceptible, inclined, apt, sensitive, willing, ready, flat, horizontal, level, prostrate, recumbent, supine, decumbent, procumbent, resupine, bent, disposed, given

Example sentences from the Web for prone

British Dictionary definitions for prone

prone
/ (prəʊn) /

adjective

lying flat or face downwards; prostrate
sloping or tending downwards
having an inclination to do something

Derived forms of prone

pronely, adverbproneness, noun

Word Origin for prone

C14: from Latin prōnus bent forward, from pro- 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for prone

prone
[ prōn ]

adj.

Lying with the front or face downward.
Having a tendency; inclined.

adv.

In a prone manner.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.