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

He said using Mark 2s had resulted in lost income, and customer feedback showed a preference for the Mark 1 carriages.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Given the heightened inflation expectations, Nuveen evinces a clear preference for floating rate rather than fixed-credit instruments, energy and upstream assets across equities, and for hard assets and real return profiles.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

The prime minister also probed Hansen on one burning issue: "A lot of Canadians just wanted one point of reassurance, that the preference is for maple syrup over nutella on your pancakes in the morning."

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Yet emerging markets still trade at roughly a 40% discount to developed markets on a forward price-to-earnings basis, according to MSCI—a gap that reflects years of investor preference for U.S. assets during the dollar’s rise.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

He told Americans that his preference was to complete the term to which he’d been elected, but that he longer had enough support to continue.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

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