propense

English

Etymology

From Latin prōpensus, perfect passive participle of prōpendeō.

Pronunciation

• Audio (Southern England)

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• Rhymes: -ɛns

Adjective

propense (comparative more propense, superlative most propense)

1. (archaic) Leaning toward, in a moral sense; inclined; disposed; prone

   women propense to holiness

   • 1739, David Hume, Treatise of Human Nature Book 3: Of Morals

     The most immediate effects of pleasure and pain are the propense and averse motions of the mind; which are diversified into volition, into desire and aversion, grief and joy, hope and fear

   • 1668, Desiderius Erasmus, translated by John Wilson, The Praise of Folly:

     […] women are so earnestly delighted with this kind of men, as being more propense by nature to pleasure and toys.

Derived terms

• propensed
• propensely
• propenseness
• propensity

References

• “propense”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Anagrams

• Epperson, prepones, propenes

Italian

Adjective

propense f pl

1. feminine plural of propenso

Participle

propense f pl

1. feminine plural of propenso

Latin

Adjective

prōpēnse

1. vocative masculine singular of prōpēnsus

References

• “propense”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “propense”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers