preference meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

preference

noun

/ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/ · /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹɛns/

Etymology From Middle French preference, from Medieval Latin preferentia. Doublet of preferans. Morphologically prefer + -ence. Compare typologically Russian предвзя́тость (predvzjátostʹ) (<< взять (vzjatʹ), a suppletive of брать (bratʹ), which is cognate with Latin ferō).

1

The selection of one thing or person over others (with the main adposition being "for" in relation to the thing or person, but possibly also "of")

He has a preference for crisp wines.

2

The option to so select, and the one selected.

Can I keep my preferences when I upgrade to the new version of this application?
Where we once sent love letters in a sealed envelope, or stuck photographs of our children in a family album, now such private material is despatched to servers and clouds operated by people we don't know and will never meet. Perhaps we assume that our name, address and search preferences will be viewed by some unseen pair of corporate eyes, probably not human, and don't mind that much.2013 June 14, Jonathan Freedland, “Obama's once hip brand is now tainted”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 1, page 18:

3

The state of being preferred over others.

4

A strong liking or personal valuation.

5

A preferential bias; partiality; discrimination.

Synonyms: forechoice, predilection
Derived terms: affectional preference, depreference, dispreference, enantiopreference, in preference to, isopreference, nonpreference, photopreference, preference cascade, preference share, preference stock, preferendum, revealed preference, sexual preference, stereopreference, subpreference, thermopreference, time preference

preference

verb

Etymology From Middle French preference, from Medieval Latin preferentia. Doublet of preferans. Morphologically prefer + -ence. Compare typologically Russian предвзя́тость (predvzjátostʹ) (<< взять (vzjatʹ), a suppletive of брать (bratʹ), which is cognate with Latin ferō).

1

US To give preferential treatment to; to give a preference to.

Related terms: preferences

preference

noun

1

Preferans, a card game, principally played in Eastern Europe.