prone

¹ American  

[prohn] / proʊn /

adjective

1. having a natural inclination or tendency to something; disposed; liable.

   to be prone to anger.

   Synonyms:

   subject, apt

2. having the front or ventral part downward; lying face downward.

3. lying flat; prostrate.

   Synonyms:

   recumbent

4. having a downward direction or slope.

5. having the palm downward, as the hand.

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prone ² American  

[prohn] / proʊn /

noun

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

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prone ¹ British  

/ prəʊn /

adjective

1. lying flat or face downwards; prostrate

2. sloping or tending downwards

3. having an inclination to do something

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-prone ² British  

combining form

1. liable or disposed to suffer

   accident-prone

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Other Word Forms

• pronely adverb
• proneness noun

Etymology

Origin of prone¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin prōnus “turned or leaning forward, inclined downward, disposed,” adverb based on prō pro ¹ ( def. )

Origin of prone²

First recorded in 1660–70; from French prône “grill, grating (separating chancel from nave),” so called because notices and addresses were delivered there, from Old French prodne, prorne, prosne, by way of a Medieval Latin or Late Latin intermediary such as protinum (unrecorded) from Latin prothyrum “foyer, porch, vestibule,” from Greek próthyron, from pró pro- ² ( def. ) + thýra “door” ( door ( def. ) )

Example Sentences

As people grow older, the immune system often becomes less balanced and more prone to dysfunction.

From Science Daily

Young adults whose market experience has primarily involved big gains can be equally prone to bailing out of stocks at the first sign of volatility, she adds.

From Barron's

Americans are also more prone to “home-country bias” than most, investing mainly in our domestic market.

From The Wall Street Journal

Forests help absorb rainfall and stabilise the ground held by their roots, and their absence makes areas more prone to flash flooding and landslides, founder of The TreeMap David Gaveau told AFP in December.

From Barron's

Then came a dramatic decline in oil prices — inevitable in an industry prone to boom-and-bust cycles.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• apt
• devoted
• exposed
• inclined
• ready
• sensitive
• susceptible
• willing