pref|er|ence

pref|er|ence «PREHF uhr uhns, PREHF ruhns», noun.

1. the act or attitude of liking better: »

My preference is for beef rather than lamb.

SYNONYM(S): selection, election. See syn. under choice. (Cf. ↑choice)

2. a thing preferred; first choice: »

My preference in reading is a mystery story.

3. the action of favoring, or fact of being favored, one above another: »

A teacher should not show preference for any one of her pupils.

4. the act or fact of favoring one country or group of countries in international trade by admitting their products at a lower import duty than that levied on others.

5. Law. priority of payment given to a certain debt or class of debts.

6. a type of card game for three players, using a deck of 32 cards.

╂[< Middle French preference, learned borrowing from Medieval Latin praeferentia < Latin praeferēns, -entis, present participle of praeferre prefer]