penchant

[ pen-chuhnt; French pahn-shahn ]

noun

1. a strong inclination, taste, or liking for something:

   a penchant for outdoor sports.

penchant

/ ˈpɒŋʃɒŋ /

noun

1. a strong inclination or liking; bent or taste

Word History and Origins

Origin of penchant¹

1665–75; < French, noun use of present participle of pencher to incline, lean < Vulgar Latin *pendicāre, derivative of Latin pendēre to hang

Word History and Origins

Origin of penchant¹

C17: from French, from pencher to incline, from Latin pendēre to be suspended

Idioms and Phrases

see have a penchant for .

Example Sentences

Trump’s penchant for abusing allies and, as in his first term, withdrawing from multilateral pacts is likely to weaken such ties and so American power in the region.

From Salon

Appealing to Trump’s penchant for superlatives, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board made up largely of local politicians, including L.A.

From Los Angeles Times

Don’t take personally the Sagittarius penchant to run away at a moment’s notice to a faraway land promising the stimulation they not just crave but require to fuel their hyperactive brains.

From Los Angeles Times

And when glass ceilings for women in music were hit, you could understand her thirst to make every idea and new discipline count, and the penchant for excess that went with it.

From Los Angeles Times

She said "he had a penchant for touching and spying on young adolescent boys and his desires were easily satisfied because of the positions he held".

From BBC

Related Words

• affection
• affinity
• predilection
• proclivity
• propensity
• taste
• tendency
• weakness