PREDILECTION

[pre.di.lec.tion] n [F predilection, fr. ML praediligere to love more, prefer, fr. L prae- + diligere to love--more at diligent] (1742): an established preference for something syn predilection, prepossession, prejudice, bias mean an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something. predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience "a predilection for horror movies". prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it "a prepossession against technology". prejudice usu. implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerence "a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar". bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing "the common bias against overweight people".