preferment
Americannoun
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the act of preferring.
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the state of being preferred.
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advancement or promotion, especially in the church.
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a position or office affording social or pecuniary advancement.
noun
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the act of promoting or advancing to a higher position, office, etc
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the state of being preferred for promotion or social advancement
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the act of preferring
Etymology
Origin of preferment
late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; see origin at prefer, -ment
Explanation
The noun preferment is a kind of promotion, like getting a better position or moving up the ranks at work. Preferment also means the act of liking one thing more than another. The meaning of this noun as "promotion" comes from the original definition of prefer, "to advance in rank or fortune." Preferment goes to the hardest workers. Preferment can also be to prefer one thing over another. Good teachers work hard not to show preferment for some students over others, even if they secretly have favorites. In the kitchen, a preferment (also pre-ferment) is a bread starter.
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.
When whips or cabinet ministers warn colleagues that they may be killing off hope of a ministerial career if they rebel, the calculation may be that they are unlikely to receive preferment in any case.
From BBC • Jun. 25, 2025
A biga is an Italian-style preferment typically left for around 12 hours to ripen, bringing additional flavor and textural benefits to the final dough.
From Salon • Jul. 7, 2021
A faction from one section of a colony struggled with enemies from another over place and preferment, and so on.
From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018
Make the starter: Also called a preferment, the starter is a chemically rambunctious mix of flour, yeast, and water that creates much of the finished bread’s flavor.
From Slate • Oct. 7, 2015
Letting Algernon out of his cage would throw the meeting into chaos, and after all this was Burt’s debut into the rat-race of academic preferment.
From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
