preference

The selection of one thing or person over others (with the main adposition being "for" in relation to the thing or person, but possibly also "of")

Noun

  1. The selection of one thing or person over others (with the main adposition being "for" in relation to the thing or person, but possibly also "of")
    • He has a preference for crisp wines.

    Synonyms: druthers

  2. The option to so select, and the one selected.
    • Can I keep my preferences when I upgrade to the new version of this application?
    • Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never...
  3. The state of being preferred over others.
  4. A strong liking or personal valuation.
  5. A preferential bias; partiality; discrimination.

Origin

From Middle French preference, from Medieval Latin preferentia. Doublet of preferans. Morphologically prefer + -ence.

Forms

preferences

Synonyms

forechoice predilection

Derived

affectional preference depreference dispreference enantiopreference in preference to isopreference nonpreference photopreference preference cascade preference share preference stock preferendum revealed preference sexual preference stereopreference subpreference thermopreference time preference

Noun Entry 2

  1. Preferans, a card game, principally played in Eastern Europe.

Verb

  1. To give preferential treatment to; to give a preference to.

Forms

preferences preferencing preferenced

Related

preferences