Etymology Attested from the 1580s, borrowed from Middle French favorit, from Old French favorit or Italian favorito (“favoured, favourite”), past participle of Italian favorire (“to favor”), from favore, from Latin favor (“good will, favor”), from the verb faveō (“to favour”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂weh₁yeti (“to be favourable to”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to shine, glow light”). Doublet of favori.
1
Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, Superlative Most-liked. (In other words, [person]'s favorite [noun] = the [noun] that [person] likes the most.)
This is my favourite day!
I saw a hilariously funny movie with all of my favourite comedians in it.
2 more examples
The Nanny is one of Pippa's favourite shows, but tonight the pleasure of mindlessly blobbing out in her usual Sunday-laid-back-luxury style...2004, Brigid Lowry, Guitar Highway Rose:
Then there are the characters Rudd describes as “the full-on buffoons”, such as reporter Brian Fantana in Anchorman, who gives names to his testicles and – still my favourite Rudd performance – Andy the obnoxious summer camp counsellor in cult 2001 comedy Wet Hot American Summer, which is being revived on Netflix this summer, in which Rudd will co-star alongside original cast members including Poehler and Bradley Cooper.2015 July 9, Hadley Freeman, “Paul Rudd on Ant-Man, being Hollywood’s go-to nice guy and growing up with English parents in Kansas”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 01 Mar 2018:
What joy has this dog in miſchief!—More than I can have in the completion of my moſt favourite purpoſes!1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter VII. Mr. Lovelace. In Continuation.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume V, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 87:
favourite
noun
Etymology Attested from the 1580s, borrowed from Middle French favorit, from Old French favorit or Italian favorito (“favoured, favourite”), past participle of Italian favorire (“to favor”), from favore, from Latin favor (“good will, favor”), from the verb faveō (“to favour”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂weh₁yeti (“to be favourable to”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to shine, glow light”). Doublet of favori.
You were my favourite to win the spelling competition.
She's the favourite, she'll probably be elected.
1 more example
Netherlands, one of the pre-tournament favourites, combined their undoubted guile, creativity, pace and attacking quality with midfield grit and organisation.2012 June 9, Owen Phillips, “Euro 2012: Netherlands 0 – 1 Denmark”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 04 Nov 2016:
Etymology Attested from the 1580s, borrowed from Middle French favorit, from Old French favorit or Italian favorito (“favoured, favourite”), past participle of Italian favorire (“to favor”), from favore, from Latin favor (“good will, favor”), from the verb faveō (“to favour”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂weh₁yeti (“to be favourable to”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to shine, glow light”). Doublet of favori.