Definition of "predilection"

The young King looked tenderly at Mademoiselle Mancini, who gave him a glance quite as tender in return—not, however, unobserved. His mother had been for some time past a displeased spectator of a predilection which might become dangerous.

1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XIX, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), page 219

American operating practice aims at the minimum wastage of time by locomotives at water columns and coal stages, and this predilection for shunters with high capacity tenders is thereby explained.

1941 November, “Notes and News: American Tank Locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, page 523

It was an illusion, of course, generated by Clevinger's predilection for staring fixedly at one side of a question and never seeing the other side at all.

1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “Lieutenant Scheisskopf”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, page 66

The appointment as Member of the B.T.C. with "special responsibility for railway workshops" of Sir Steuart Mitchell is in accordance with Mr. Marples' predilection for non-railwaymen in the highest posts.

1962 April, “Talking of Trains: From guided weapons to the B.T.C.”, in Modern Railways, page 221

A row of houses he regards as a row of necessary evils. The softening and degeneration of the human race he attributes to its progressive predilection for interiors and waning interest in the art of going out and staying there.

1967, Flann O’Brien, chapter 2, in The Third Policeman

But for him the first rule of judging was to set aside personal predilection and vote the law and the facts.

1987 June 29, Edwin M. Yoder Jr., “Lewis Powell a Fine Sense of Balance”, in Washington Post

... youth’s predilection for revolt.

2000 October 23, Terry McCarthy, “Lost Generation”, in Time Asia

Wilson doesn’t see any inconsistency between his socialism and his predilection for the high life.

2001 March 13, Marina Cantacuzino, “On deadly ground”, in The Guardian