ten·den·cy

[ten-duhn-see]
noun, plural ten·den·cies.
1.
a natural or prevailing disposition to move, proceed, or act in some direction or toward some point, end, or result: the tendency of falling bodies toward the earth.
2.
an inclination, bent, or predisposition to something: a tendency to talk too much.
3.
a special and definite purpose in a novel or other literary work.

Origin:
1620–30; < Medieval Latin tendentia. See tend1, -ency

coun·ter·tend·en·cy, noun, plural coun·ter·tend·en·cies.


1. Tendency, direction, trend, drift refer to inclination or line of action or movement. A tendency is an inclination toward a certain line of action (whether or not the action follows), and is often the result of inherent qualities, nature, or habit: a tendency to procrastinate. Direction is the line along which an object or course of action moves, often toward some set point or intended goal: The change is in the direction of improvement. Trend emphasizes simultaneous movement in a certain direction of a number of factors, although the course or goal may not be clear for any single feature: Business indicators showed a downward trend. Drift emphasizes gradual development as well as direction: the drift of his argument. 2. proclivity, leaning.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Tendency is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
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World English Dictionary
tendency (ˈtɛndənsɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl -cies
1.  (often foll by to) an inclination, predisposition, propensity, or leaning: she has a tendency to be frivolous; a tendency to frivolity
2.  the general course, purport, or drift of something, esp a written work
3.  a faction, esp one within a political party: the militant tendency
 
[C17: from Medieval Latin tendentia, from Latin tendere to tend1]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

tendency
1620s, from M.L. tendentia "inclination, leaning," from L. tendens, prp. of tendere "to stretch, aim" (see tenet).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Now add an enormous amount of military and economic power and wealth onto that
  existing tendency, and you have a real problem.
Worse, there is a growing tendency to translate the old names.
Top concern is his hands, as he showed tendency early in his career to put the
  ball on the ground.
The researchers are close to solving the boxes' main weakness: a tendency to
  soften when wet.
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