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

Derived Forms

• ˈpronely, adverb
• ˈproneness, noun

Other Words From

• pronely adverb
• proneness 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

The jury at the High Court in Edinburgh heard MacDonald was prone to angry outbursts and had a long standing anxiety about his health.

From BBC

Hot, dry weather boosts the risk of wildfires and kills vegetation, increasing soil erosion and making rock art sites more prone to flooding during the rainy season, as researchers in nearby Namibia have found.

From Science Magazine

It only improves as it ages and settles and thanks to the topping, it never cracks or folds in on itself like some cheesecakes are prone to do.

From Salon

But three years later it emerged that the cables used on the new bridge are more prone to icing problems than the earlier bridge which has only once been closed by ice during its lifetime.

From BBC

“We have also notified the property owners that we feel like their buildings are seismically prone and they may be considered soft story,” said David Khorram, Long Beach’s superintendent of building and safety.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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