noun
penchant
PEN-chuhnt/ˈpentʃənt/
A strong liking or inclination toward something.
The woman's penchant for polka dots guides her choice of scarf.
Etymology
The pieces convey “inclining” or “leaning.” Used as a noun, this became a figurative leaning toward something: a strong preference or tendency rather than a physical tilt.
In context
perpetual beer consumption that characterised European life in early modern and pre-modern times, especially in cities where drinking alcohol was safer than consuming disease-ridden water, but, instead, Marx had a penchant for wine and liquor,
More examples
- My brother has a penchant for terrible puns.
- Her penchant for collecting old maps fills the apartment.
- His penchant for interrupting makes meetings drag.
Forms
penchant · penchants
Similar words
- fondness
- Emphasizes affection or enjoyment rather than a habitual tendency.
- inclination
- Can describe a weaker or more temporary tendency.
- predilection
- More formal; emphasizes an established preference for something.