inclination

C2+ Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌɪnkləˈneɪʃən/ UK /ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a natural tendency, leaning, or preference toward something

She had little inclination to argue at that late hour.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a natural tendency,... tendency propensity leaning predisposition penchant disposition bent

Opposites

disinclination aversion reluctance

Word family

Related forms incline inclined decline

Etymology

From Old French inclinacion, from Latin inclinatio ('a leaning, bending'), from inclinatus, past participle of inclinare ('to bend toward'), from in- ('toward') + clinare ('to bend, lean').

inclinare Latin clinare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# inclination

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌɪnkləˈneɪʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən/

## Meanings
1. a natural tendency, leaning, or preference toward something

## Examples
- She had little inclination to argue at that late hour.

## Synonyms
- tendency
- propensity
- leaning
- predisposition
- penchant
- disposition
- bent

## Antonyms
- disinclination
- aversion
- reluctance

## Related Forms
- incline
- inclined
- decline

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: inclinare
- Root: clinare

## Etymology
From Old French inclinacion, from Latin inclinatio ('a leaning, bending'), from inclinatus, past participle of inclinare ('to bend toward'), from in- ('toward') + clinare ('to bend, lean').

## AI Etymology
Inclination comes from Old French inclinacion, from Latin inclinatio ('a leaning, bending'), from inclinatus, past participle of inclinare ('to bend toward'), from in- ('toward') + clinare ('to bend, lean'). The etymological trail includes Latin inclinare and Latin clinare. As a noun, inclination means a natural tendency, leaning, or preference toward something. The same family is visible in related forms such as incline, inclined, and decline. Morphologically, the word is built from the elements named in its history, so the modern form preserves a visible compound, prefix, or suffix structure.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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