propensity
n. countablen. a natural tendency to behave in a certain way. You use this when someone often does something, especially something bad.
n. an innate inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way. Often associated with habitual or characteristic patterns of conduct.
He has a propensity for getting into trouble.
The researcher noted that certain plants show a propensity to grow toward the light even in shaded conditions.
Economists have long studied the marginal propensity to consume, which measures how much extra income a household is likely to spend rather than save.
Learned borrowing from New Latin prōpensitās. By surface analysis, propense (“inclined, disposed”) + -ity.
Commonly followed by the preposition 'for' plus a noun or 'to' plus an infinitive verb.
a propensity of violencea propensity for violencePropensity typically takes the preposition 'for' when followed by a noun, rather than 'of'.