favorite

American

[fey-ver-it, feyv-rit] / ˈfeɪ vər ɪt, ˈfeɪv rɪt /

especially British, favourite

noun

a person or thing regarded with special favor or preference.

That song is an old favorite of mine.
Sports. a competitor considered likely to win.
a person or thing popular with the public.
a person treated with special or undue favor by a king, official, etc..

favorites at the court.
Digital Technology. bookmark.

adjective

regarded with particular favor or preference.

a favorite child.

Usage

Spelling tips for favorite The word favorite is hard to spell for two reasons. First, in British English it is spelled with a u (favourite), unlike the American English spelling favorite. Second, the final e is silent. How to spell favorite: When you do someone a favor, you don't do it for yourself. So, there is no u in favor. Now that we have the beginning of the word down, how do we remember the e in -ite? Well, it wouldn't be anything without an Ending (an e at the end). Put the two together and you get favorite.

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of favorite

First recorded in 1575–85; from Middle French, from Italian favorito, “favored,” past participle of favorire “to favor, support,” from favore “favor, goodwill”; see favor, -ite ²

Explanation

Your favorite is what you like best. Your room is probably painted your favorite color, and the folders you carry to school are probably that color too. In a competition, the favorite is the one considered likely to win. If you bet on the favorite in a horse race, you're betting on the horse lots of other people think will win. The opposite of the favorite is the dark horse, or the underdog, or the long shot. You may have a favorite recipe, a favorite Web site, a favorite pastime, a favorite anything.

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Vocabulary lists containing favorite

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Two of Martel’s favorite movies set in L.A. are David Lynch’s nightmarish “Mulholland Drive” and Robert Aldrich’s psychodrama “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?”

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Kelly has done an even starker about-face on one of her favorite topics these days: trans issues, on which she used to be passably sympathetic.

From Slate • May 6, 2026

In your case, it can be used to cover the mortgage on your home and ensure that you can provide an inheritance to your brother, or even a lump sum for a favorite charity.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

Mix in your favorite chocolate chips for some extra richness.

From Salon • May 5, 2026

My favorite thing about this place is you.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023