prefer

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.
To advance, promote (someone or something).
To present or submit (something) to an authority (now usually in "to prefer charges").
To put forward for acceptance; to introduce, recommend (to).

Pronunciation

[pɹɪˈfɝ] en-us-prefer.ogg [pɹɪˈfɜː] [pɹɪˈfəː] [pɹɪˈfɚ(ɹ)] [pɹɪˈfəɹ] [pɹɪˈfeːɹ] [pɹɪˈfɛr] [pɹɪˈføː] [pɹɪˈfeː] [pɹɪˈfɛː] [pɹɪˈfɜː(ɹ)] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-prefer.wav

Word forms

prefer prefers preferring preferred præfer præferre preferre

Etymology

From Middle English preferren, from Anglo-Norman preferer, from Latin praeferō. Displaced native Old English foresettan and foreberan. Doublet of prelate. See also infer, relate and refer, delate and defer, as well as collate and confer among others.

Synonyms

fain favor forechoose elevate raise uplift advance aggrandize dignify ennoble exalt honor nobilitate prefer promote

Antonyms

disprefer

Related words

nonpreferred preferable preference preferendum preferential preferer preferment preferrable preferred creditor preferred provider preferred stock preferred stockholder preferrer prelate unpreferred

Derived words

preferability preferee preferist

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

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