penchant

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 31, 2025 is penchant, a noun that refers to a strong liking for something or a strong tendency to behave in a certain way. It is usually used with the preposition for. Penchant can be used to describe a person's strong inclination towards a particular subject or activity. For example, someone's penchant for mathematics can help them become an engineer. The word penchant is also used to describe a person's tendency to behave in a certain way, such as a penchant for switching between unison vocal parts and harmonized ones. English has multiple words that imply a strong instinct or liking for something, including propensity and proclivity. However, penchant is the most precise word for implying a pronounced and persistent taste in a person. The word penchant has its roots in the Latin verb pendere, meaning "to weigh," and is more immediately preceded in English by the French word penchant. The French word penchant comes from the present participle of pencher, meaning "to incline." Overall, penchant is a useful word for describing a person's strong inclinations or tendencies.