Prone Meaning and Definition

Prone

Prone

Pronunciation

/prōn/

Part of Speech

Adjective

Definition

Oriented or lying down; having a natural tendency to lie down.

Examples

  • The hiker was prone to getting lost in the woods.
  • The rug was prone to shedding.

Synonyms

  • Lying down
  • Tended

Antonyms

  • Erect
  • Upright

Etymology

The word “prone” comes from the Latin word “prōnus”, meaning “facing forward” or “turned towards the front”.

Usage Notes

The word “prone” is often used to describe something that has a natural tendency to lie down or be oriented downwards, such as a person prone to sleeping early or a flower that is prone to wilting.

Cultural References

The word “prone” has been featured in popular culture, such as in the title of the 1999 film “Prone to Wander”, a drama film about a man struggling to find his place in the world.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

Common idioms or phrases that include the word “prone” include “prone to” and “prone to fall”.

Related Words or Phrases

Words and phrases closely related to “prone” include “supine”, “horizontal”, and “oriented”.

Collocations

Common collocations with the word “prone” include “prone to”, “prone lying down”, and “prone sleeping”.

Frequency of Use

The word “prone” is relatively common in modern language, with an estimated frequency of around 0.01% of all spoken words.

Common Misspellings

Common misspellings and variations of the word “prone” include “pronee”, “pron”, and “prone”.

Related Words