predispose

Predispose is a verb meaning to incline or render someone more susceptible to a condition or outcome; in other words, to make an event more likely to occur without guaranteeing that it will. In medical and biological contexts, predisposition refers to a preexisting tendency or susceptibility that increases the probability of developing a disease or adverse condition.

Predisposition can arise from genetic, environmental, behavioral, or a combination of factors. A genetic predisposition is a heritable trait or gene variant that raises risk for certain diseases, such as a family history of cancer or specific gene mutations. Non-genetic factors—including exposure to pathogens, nutritional status, smoking, obesity, stress, and immunosuppression—can also predispose individuals to health problems. Predisposing factors are conditions associated with an increased likelihood of a disease; they do not always cause the disease directly but contribute to risk.

In clinical practice, assessing predisposition helps guide screening, prevention, and early intervention. While risk factors and predispositions are closely related concepts, some sources view predisposition as a broader or more person-centered way to describe susceptibility. The term can also be used more generally to describe any antecedent that makes an outcome more likely, such as a predisposition to anxiety influenced by temperament and environment.

Etymology combines Latin prae-, before, and disponere, to arrange or place beforehand. In genetics, predisposition may be polygenic or due to a single gene variant and often interacts with environmental triggers to influence disease onset and progression.