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definitions

prone

1
[ prohn ]
/ proʊn /
||
SEE MORE 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.

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RELATED WORDS

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

Nearby words

  1. pronasion,
  2. pronatalism,
  3. pronate,
  4. pronation,
  5. pronator,
  6. prone float,
  7. prone pressure method,
  8. pronely,
  9. pronephros,
  10. prong

Origin of prone

1
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin prōnus turned or leaning forward, inclined downward, disposed, prone
Related formsprone·ly, adverbprone·ness, noun
Can be confusedprone prostate prostrate supine

prone

2
[ 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. 2019

Examples 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 Formspronely, 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
Word Origin and History for prone

prone

adj.

c.1400, "naturally inclined to something, apt, liable," from Latin pronus "bent forward, leaning forward, bent over," figuratively "inclined to, disposed," perhaps from adverbial form of pro- "before, for, instead of" (see pro-) + ending as in infernus, externus. Meaning "lying face-down" is first recorded 1570s. Literal and figurative senses both were in Latin; figurative is older in English. Related: Proneness.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine 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.