FAVORITE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does favorite mean? 

• FAVORITE (noun)
  The noun FAVORITE has 3 senses:

1. something regarded with special favor or liking

2. a special loved one

3. a competitor thought likely to win

  Familiarity information: FAVORITE used as a noun is uncommon.

• FAVORITE (adjective)
  The adjective FAVORITE has 2 senses:

1. appealing to the general public

2. preferred above all others and treated with partiality

  Familiarity information: FAVORITE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FAVORITE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Something regarded with special favor or liking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

favorite; favourite

Context example:

that book is one of my favorites

Hypernyms ("favorite" is a kind of...):

choice; pick; selection (the person or thing chosen or selected)

Derivation:

favorite (preferred above all others and treated with partiality)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A special loved one

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

darling; dearie; deary; ducky; favorite; favourite; pet

Hypernyms ("favorite" is a kind of...):

lover (a person who loves someone or is loved by someone)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "favorite"):

chosen (one who is the object of choice; who is given preference)

macushla ((an Irish term of address expressing affection) darling)

mollycoddle (a pampered darling; an effeminate man)

teacher's pet (the teacher's favorite student)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A competitor thought likely to win

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

favorite; favourite; front-runner

Hypernyms ("favorite" is a kind of...):

challenger; competition; competitor; contender; rival (the contestant you hope to defeat)

• FAVORITE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Appealing to the general public

Synonyms:

favorite; favourite

Context example:

a favorite tourist attraction

Similar:

popular (regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Preferred above all others and treated with partiality

Synonyms:

best-loved; favored; favorite; favourite; pet; preferent; preferred

Context example:

the favored child

Similar:

loved (held dear)

Derivation:

favorite (something regarded with special favor or liking)

 Context examples 

He could not believe that a sane editor could be guilty of such maltreatment, and his favorite hypothesis was that his poems must have been doctored by the office boy or the stenographer.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Finally, one of my favorite weekends for you will be January 25-26, with the additional day, Monday, January 27, when Venus will conjoin Neptune.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

I left him seated amid his pink radiance, oiling the lock of his favorite rifle, while he still chuckled to himself at the thought of the adventures which awaited us.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The room was very still, when the clear voice failed suddenly at the last line of Beth's favorite hymn.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

All were painted blue, for in this country of the East blue was the favorite color.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

Despite the challenges, Wang says that it's his favorite place to look for fossils.

("Out of Tibet" hypothesis: Cradle of evolution for cold-adapted mammals is in Tibet, NSF)

The species is a favorite for cytogenetic studies because of its small chromosome number.

(CHO Cells, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

When trying to lose weight, you can still eat your favorite foods — as long as you pay attention to the total number of calories that you eat.

(Diets, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

"It's one of my favorite regions to study," she added.

(Spitzer Studies a Stellar Playground With a Long History, NASA)

Termites might not top the list of humanity's favorite insects, but new research suggests that their large dirt mounds are crucial to stopping deserts from spreading into semi-arid ecosystems.

(Dirt mounds made by termites in Africa, South America, Asia could prevent spread of deserts, NSF)