prone

¹

[prohn]

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.

prone

²

[prohn]

noun

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

prone

¹

/ prəʊn /

adjective

1. lying flat or face downwards; prostrate

2. sloping or tending downwards

3. having an inclination to do something

-prone

²

combining form

1. liable or disposed to suffer

   accident-prone

Other Word Forms

• pronely adverb
• proneness noun

Word History and Origins

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. ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of prone¹

C14: from Latin prōnus bent forward, from _pro- ¹

Example Sentences

Robot problems: The first robots arrived in the 1970s and were often slower than humans and prone to errors—frequently blowing holes in parts that later had to be scrapped.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He has told people that gene-editing technology could produce children who are less prone to heart disease, with lower cholesterol and stronger bones to prevent osteoporosis.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

For one thing, it has a very effective CEO who is unfiltered—and prone to bouts of hyperbole.

Read more on Barron's

Typhoon Kalmaegi, locally called Tino, is the 20th tropical cyclone this year to hit the Philippines, a country prone to powerful storms.

Read more on BBC

The Belarusian has the ability to hit through her opponents - although is still prone to being erratic from the baseline through double faults and wild returning.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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