predilection

predilection
    n 1: a predisposition in favor of something; "a predilection for
         expensive cars"; "his sexual preferences"; "showed a
         Marxist orientation" [syn: {predilection}, {preference},
         {orientation}]
    2: a strong liking; "my own preference is for good literature";
       "the Irish have a penchant for blarney" [syn: {preference},
       {penchant}, {predilection}, {taste}]
    

Predilection \Pre`di*lec"tion\, n. [Pref. pre- + L. dilectus, p.
   p. diligere to prefer: cf. F. pr['e]dilection. See
   {Diligent}.]
   A previous liking; a prepossession of mind in favor of
   something; predisposition to choose or like; partiality.
   --Burke.
   [1913 Webster]
    

PREDILECTION, n.  The preparatory stage of disillusion.
    

105 Moby Thesaurus words for "predilection":
      a thing for, affinity, animus, aptitude, aptness, bag, bent, bias,
      cast, character, chosen kind, conatus, conduciveness, constitution,
      cup of tea, delight, diathesis, disposition, druthers, eagerness,
      eccentricity, fancy, fascination, favor, favoritism, feeling for,
      forejudgment, grain, idiosyncrasy, inclination, inclining,
      individualism, jaundice, jaundiced eye, kidney, leaning, liability,
      liking, make, makeup, mental set, mettle, mind, mind-set, mold,
      mutual affinity, mutual attraction, nature, one-sidedness,
      parti pris, partialism, partiality, particular choice,
      partisanship, penchant, personal choice, preapprehension,
      preconception, preconclusion, preconsideration, predecision,
      predetermination, predisposition, preference, prejudgment,
      prejudication, prejudice, premature judgment, prenotion,
      prepossession, presumption, presupposal, presupposition,
      presurmise, probability, proclivity, proneness, propensity,
      readiness, sensitivity to, set, slant, soft spot, stamp, strain,
      streak, stripe, style, susceptibility, sympathy, taste, temper,
      temperament, tendency, thing, tropism, turn, turn of mind, twist,
      type, undetachment, undispassionateness, warp, weakness,
      willingness