Inclination
/ˌɪn.klɪˈneɪ.ʃən/noun
A tendency or preference toward something; a slope or slant.
Did you know?It comes from Latin inclinare, literally “to bend or lean in,” and the same root gave English words like “clinch” and “recline,” all carrying the ancient idea of turning or bending.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*klei-
“to lean, bend, or slope”
Latin
Latin
inclinare
“to bend inward, lean, or slope”
Late Latin
Latin
inclinatio
“a bending or leaning; a slope”
Old French
Old French
inclination
“a leaning, slope, or tendency”
Middle English
English
inclination
“a slope; a disposition or tendency”
Modern English
English
inclination
“a tendency, preference, or slant”