favorite

American  

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

especially British, favourite

noun

1. a person or thing regarded with special favor or preference.

   That song is an old favorite of mine.

2. Sports. a competitor considered likely to win.

3. a person or thing popular with the public.

4. a person treated with special or undue favor by a king, official, etc..

   favorites at the court.

5. Digital Technology. bookmark.

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adjective

1. 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

• nonfavorite noun
• prefavorite noun
• unfavorite adjective

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”; favor, -ite ²

Example Sentences

My favorites: the spinach frittata and maple bacon.

From The Wall Street Journal

“And green is not stupid, it is my lifelong favorite color and I have a questionnaire that I filled out in third grade to prove it.”

From Los Angeles Times

I found my perfect cup, plus four other favorites.

From The Wall Street Journal

“No,” Tansy said, “Alice’s favorite pet is a little green garter snake that lives in her purse.”

From Literature

But Wolf had freed his prize and was tossing it high and catching it in his jaws, in one of his favorite games.

From Literature

Related Words

• beloved
• cherished
• favored
• main
• popular
• prized
• treasured