propensity

Etymology

From propense (“inclined, disposed”) + -ity, the former from Latin prōpensus, perfect passive participle of prōpendeō.

noun

1. An inclination, disposition, tendency, preference, or attraction.
   He has a propensity for lengthy discussions of certain favorite topics.
   To the psychologist the religious propensities of man must be at least as interesting as any other of the facts pertaining to his mental constitution. It would seem, therefore, that, as a psychologist, the natural thing for me would be to invite you to a descriptive survey of those religious propensities. 1902, William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience, Lecture I
   He had a tremendous propensity for getting lost when driving. 1988, Douglas Adams, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, William Heinemann Ltd, page 29
   Bats host many high-profile viruses that can infect humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola. A recent study explored the ecological variables that may contribute to bats’ propensity to harbor such zoonotic diseases by comparing them with another order of common reservoir hosts: rodents. 2013 May-June, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 193