preference
nounverbnounattested in dialogue
- //ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns//
- //ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹɛns//
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.
- 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 meet. Perhaps we assume that our name, address and search preferences will be viewed by some unseen pair of corporate eyes, probably not human, and don't mind that much.
- 3
The state of being preferred over others.
- 4
A strong liking or personal valuation.
- 5
A preferential bias; partiality; discrimination.
Etymology
From Middle French preference, from Medieval Latin preferentia. Doublet of preferans. Morphologically prefer + -ence. Compare typologically Russian предвзя́тость (predvzjátostʹ) (<< взять (vzjatʹ), a suppletive of брать (bratʹ), which is cognate with Latin ferō).
verb
- 1
To give preferential treatment to; to give a preference to.
noun
- 1
Preferans, a card game, principally played in Eastern Europe.
Forms
- plural
- preferences
- past tense
- preferenced
- past participle
- preferenced
- present participle
- preferencing
- third person singular
- preferences
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")
preferred · favouredpregnancy · The condition of being pregnant; an instance of this.pregnant · Carrying developing offspring within the body.