Word: predisposed (adjective)

Associations

"Predisposed" means having a natural tendency or inclination toward something before it happens. It is often used to talk about feelings, behaviors, or conditions that someone is likely to have because of their nature or situation.

• She is predisposed to anxiety because it runs in her family. (This means she is likely to feel anxious due to her family history.)
• People who live in cold climates are predisposed to catching colds more often. (They have a higher chance of getting colds.)
• He is predisposed to like spicy food because he grew up eating it. (He naturally tends to enjoy spicy food.)

A similar word is "inclined," but "predisposed" often suggests something more natural or biological, while "inclined" can be more about personal choice or mood.

Substitution

You can use words like "likely," "prone," or "inclined" instead of "predisposed," but each changes the meaning slightly:

• "Likely" is more general about probability.
• "Prone" usually refers to negative things (e.g., prone to accidents).
• "Inclined" suggests a softer or more voluntary tendency.

Deconstruction

• Prefix: "pre-" means "before."
• Root: "dispose" means "to arrange" or "to have a tendency."
• Suffix: "-ed" turns it into an adjective meaning "having a tendency before something happens."

So "predisposed" literally means "arranged or inclined beforehand."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where someone might be predisposed to a certain behavior?
• How might knowing that someone is predisposed to something help in real life, like in health or education?
• Are there things you feel predisposed to like or dislike? Why do you think that is?