preference

American  

[pref-er-uhns, pref-ruhns] / ˈprɛf ər əns, ˈprɛf rəns /

noun

1. the act of preferring.

2. the state of being preferred.

3. that which is preferred; choice.

   His preference is vanilla, not chocolate.

   Synonyms:

   pick, selection

4. a practical advantage given to one over others.

5. a prior right or claim, as to payment of dividends or to assets upon dissolution.

6. the favoring of one country or group of countries by granting special advantages over others in international trade.

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preference British  

/ ˈprɛfrəns, ˈprɛfərəns /

noun

1. the act of preferring

2. something or someone preferred

3. law

   1. the settling of the claims of one or more creditors before or to the exclusion of those of the others

   2. a prior right to payment, as of a dividend or share in the assets of a company in the event of liquidation

4. commerce the granting of favour or precedence to particular foreign countries, as by levying differential tariffs

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Related Words

See choice.

Other Word Forms

• nonpreference
  noun
• self-preference
  noun

Etymology

Origin of preference

From the Medieval Latin word praeferentia, dating back to 1595–1605. See prefer, -ence

Explanation

If you have a strong liking for something, you have a preference for it. You might have a preference for apples, but there are some days when you're stuck eating a banana instead. If you grant favors to one person over another, then you are showing a preference or bias. The United States often gives preference to traditional allies like Britain or Canada. In your science class, it's clear that the professor has a preference for certain students and calls on them more often. Preference also refers to a choice or the right to choose — your friend might have a strong preference for which movie you'll see tonight.

Example Sentences

The cross-cultural study, recently published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, demonstrated there is a subset of "sour likers" who enjoy exceptionally sour foods.

From Science Daily • Apr. 29, 2024

The candidate is one of 20 people, Democrat and Republican, whose names appear on the ballot during the statewide Presidential Preference Primary race on Tuesday.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 5, 2024

Preference goes to areas that are disproportionately impacted by poverty and where homeless camps are causing harm to neighborhoods and where the county has strong relationships with service providers.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 27, 2023

Employees should “use the term ‘User Preference for Google Search’ and never the term market share,” according to that document.

From The Verge • Aug. 7, 2020

Preference: “I think it would be wise to turn left or right.”

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• choice
• desire
• inclination
• option
• predilection
• weakness