Prone
/proʊn/
adjectiveB2
Definition
Prone describes when a person or thing is likely to have a problem or be affected by something negative. It can also mean lying down flat on the stomach, face down. It shows a natural tendency or position.
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See It in Action
Likely to suffer from or do something bad
- •She is prone to headaches when she is tired.
- •Children are prone to catching colds in winter.
- •He is prone to making careless mistakes at work.
Lying flat on the stomach, face down
- •The patient was lying prone on the hospital bed.
- •Soldiers sometimes lie prone to avoid being seen.
- •Please lie prone for the medical examination.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "prone" like "likely," but more about being open to something bad or a natural habit
- ✓Picture someone lying flat on the ground, face down, like when you rest or do push-ups
- ✓It's the feeling of being open to something, like when you catch a cold easily or often make a mistake
- ✓Sounds like "phone" → imagine a phone lying face down on a table, which is like being prone (face down)
- ✓Think of a character in a story who often falls sick because they are prone to illness
- ✓NOT like "safe" or "strong" — prone means more open to problems or risks
- ✓NOT like "standing" or "sitting" — prone describes a flat, face-down position
- ✓NOT like "accidental" — prone means there is a natural or usual tendency, not random
Try Other Words
- •Vulnerable: open to harm or damage (Use when emphasizing weakness or danger)
- •Susceptible: easily affected by something (Use in formal or medical contexts)
- •Lying face down: physical position description (Use when describing body position instead of tendency)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix, root word "prone" from Latin)
- •Etymology: From Latin "pronus," meaning "bent forward," "inclined," or "face down"
- •Historical development: Used since Middle English to mean lying flat or being inclined toward something
- •Modern usage: Used to describe both physical position (face down) and tendency to experience something (usually negative)
Reflect & Connect
•Can being prone to something sometimes help a person, or is it always bad? How?
•How does knowing the physical meaning of prone help understand the metaphorical use about tendencies?
Fill in the blanks
1.People who are prone to colds often ___ their immune system is weak.
2.When lying prone, the body is flat with the face ___ the ground.
3.Being prone to mistakes means someone often ___ errors in similar situations.
4.Unlike "safe," prone means you are more ___ to problems or risks.
5.The doctor asked the patient to lie prone so that the ___ could be examined.
6.If someone is prone to worry, they usually ___ about small problems.
7.Soldiers lie prone to ___ themselves from enemy view during battle.