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Origin and history of disposition

disposition(n.)

late 14c., disposicioun, "ordering, management, a setting in order, arrangement," also "tendency of mind, aptitude, inclination," from Old French disposicion (12c.) "arrangement, order; mood, state of mind" and directly from Latin dispositionem (nominative dispositio) "arrangement, management," noun of action from past-participle stem of disponere "to put in order, arrange" (see dispose).

Meaning "frame of mind, attitude, inclination; temperament, natural tendency or constitution of the mind" (late 14c.) are from astrological use of the word for "position of a planet as a determining influence" (late 14c.). Related: Dispositional.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to disposition

dispose(v.)

late 14c., disposen, "set in order, place in a particular order; give direction or tendency to; incline the mind or heart of," from Old French disposer (13c.) "arrange, order, control, regulate" (influenced in form by poser "to place"), from Latin disponere "put in order, arrange, distribute," from dis- "apart" (see dis-) + ponere "to put, place" (past participle positus; see position (n.)). Related: Disposed; disposing.

indisposition(n.)

early 15c., "unfavorable influence" (in astrology), mid-15c., "disinclination (to), state of being not disposed in mind," from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + disposition. Perhaps modeled on Old French indisposicion or Medieval Latin indispositio. Sense of "ill health, disorder of the mind or body" is from mid-15c. Other 15c. senses included "inclination to evil; wickedness," and "public disorder, lawlessness."

predisposition(n.)

"state of having a previous tendency or inclination in a particular direction, mental or physical susceptibility," 1620s, from pre- + disposition. Related: Predispositional.

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    inclination
    late 14c., inclinacioun, "condition of being mentally disposed" (to do something), "natural disposition due to a humor or the influence of planets at one's birth," from Old French inclination (14c.) and directly from Latin inclinationem (nominative inclinatio) "a leaning, bending
    temperament
    late 14c., "proportioned mixture of elements," from Latin temperamentum "proper mixture, a mixing in due proportion," from temperare "to mix in due proportion, modify, blend; restrain oneself" (see temper (v.)). In old medicine, it meant a combination of qualities (hot, cold, moi
    affection
    mind, passion, lust as opposed to reason;" from Old French afection (12c., Modern French affection) "emotion, inclination, disposition...; love, attraction, enthusiasm," from Latin affectionem (nominative affectio) "a relation, disposition; a temporary state...The sense developed in Latin from "disposition" to "good disposition, zealous attachment."...
    diffidence
    c. 1400, "distrust, want of confidence, doubt of the ability or disposition of others," from Latin diffidentia "mistrust,...modern sense is of "distrust of oneself, want of confidence in one's ability, worth, or fitness" (1650s), hence "retiring disposition...
    dictatorial
    "Dictatorial implies, on the one hand, a disposition to rule, and, on the other, a sharp insistence upon having one's orders...
    complacence
    The sense of "disposition to please" (1620s) now goes with complaisance....
    credulity
    Meaning "a weak or ignorant disregard of the importance of evidence, a disposition too ready to believe," especially absurd...
    direction
    late 14c., direccioun, "action of directing or guiding," from Latin directionem (nominative directio) "a making straight, a straight line, a directing (toward something)," noun of action from past-participle stem of dirigere "to set straight, arrange; give a particular direction
    equanimity
    c. 1600, "fairness, impartiality," from French équanimité, from Latin aequanimitatem (nominative aequanimitas) "evenness of mind, calmness; good-will, kindness," from aequanimis "mild, kind," literally "even-minded," from aequus "even, level" (see equal (adj.)) + animus "mind, sp
    propensity
    1560s, "disposition to favor;" 1610s, "a bent of mind, natural or acquired," with -ty + obsolete adjective propense "inclined, prone" (1520s), from Latin propensus, past participle of propendere "incline to, hang forward, hang down, weigh over," from pro "forward" (see pro-) + pe

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