Word
penchant
Phoneticspen·chant, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɛntʃənt/
UK/pˈɒnʃɒn/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a strong liking for something, especially something that other people might find strange or specific.
n. a strong or habitual liking for something or a tendency to do something. Often takes the preposition 'for'.
Examples
“He has a penchant for wearing colorful ties.”
“Her penchant for detail made her an excellent choice for the role of lead editor.”
“Despite his penchant for solitude, the author occasionally emerged from his remote cabin to give lectures at the local university.”
Examples
simple
“He has a penchant for wearing colorful ties.”
contextual
“Her penchant for detail made her an excellent choice for the role of lead editor.”
complex
“Despite his penchant for solitude, the author occasionally emerged from his remote cabin to give lectures at the local university.”
Usage
Usually follows the pattern 'a penchant for [something]'.
Real-World Examples
“Meanwhile, on Saturday, the US president raised the volume again by resorting to the kind of AI-generated imagery for which he has shown a penchant .” “He read widely, in philosophy, history and literature, while maintaining a penchant for classic thrillers.” Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French penchant, present participle of pencher (“to tilt, to lean”), from Middle French, from Old French pengier (“to tilt, be out of line”), from Vulgar Latin *pendicāre, a derivative of Latin pendere (“to hang”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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