[syn: preference, penchant, predilection, taste]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Predilection \Pre`di*lec"tion\, n. [Pref. pre- + L. dilectus, p.
p. diligere to prefer: cf. F. pr['e]dilection. See
Diligent.]
A previous liking; a prepossession of mind in favor of
something; predisposition to choose or like; partiality.
--Burke.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
predilection
n 1: a predisposition in favor of something; "a predilection for
expensive cars"; "his sexual preferences"; "showed a
Marxist orientation" [syn: predilection, preference,
orientation]
2: a strong liking; "my own preference is for good literature";
"the Irish have a penchant for blarney" [syn: preference,
penchant, predilection, taste]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
105 Moby Thesaurus words for "predilection":
a thing for, affinity, animus, aptitude, aptness, bag, bent, bias,
cast, character, chosen kind, conatus, conduciveness, constitution,
cup of tea, delight, diathesis, disposition, druthers, eagerness,
eccentricity, fancy, fascination, favor, favoritism, feeling for,
forejudgment, grain, idiosyncrasy, inclination, inclining,
individualism, jaundice, jaundiced eye, kidney, leaning, liability,
liking, make, makeup, mental set, mettle, mind, mind-set, mold,
mutual affinity, mutual attraction, nature, one-sidedness,
parti pris, partialism, partiality, particular choice,
partisanship, penchant, personal choice, preapprehension,
preconception, preconclusion, preconsideration, predecision,
predetermination, predisposition, preference, prejudgment,
prejudication, prejudice, premature judgment, prenotion,
prepossession, presumption, presupposal, presupposition,
presurmise, probability, proclivity, proneness, propensity,
readiness, sensitivity to, set, slant, soft spot, stamp, strain,
streak, stripe, style, susceptibility, sympathy, taste, temper,
temperament, tendency, thing, tropism, turn, turn of mind, twist,
type, undetachment, undispassionateness, warp, weakness,
willingness
The Devil's Dictionary (1881-1906):
PREDILECTION, n. The preparatory stage of disillusion.