PREFERENCE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does preference mean? 

• PREFERENCE (noun)
  The noun PREFERENCE has 4 senses:

1. a strong liking

2. a predisposition in favor of something

3. the right or chance to choose

4. grant of favor or advantage to one over another (especially to a country or countries in matters of international trade, such as levying duties)

  Familiarity information: PREFERENCE used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PREFERENCE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A strong liking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting feelings and emotions

Synonyms:

penchant; predilection; preference; taste

Context example:

the Irish have a penchant for blarney

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

liking (a feeling of pleasure and enjoyment)

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

acquired taste (a preference that is only acquired after considerable experience)

weakness (a penchant for something even though it might not be good for you)

Derivation:

prefer (like better; value more highly)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A predisposition in favor of something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

orientation; predilection; preference

Context example:

showed a Marxist orientation

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

predisposition (an inclination beforehand to interpret statements in a particular way)

Derivation:

prefer (select as an alternative over another)

preferent (preferred above all others and treated with partiality)

preferential (manifesting partiality)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The right or chance to choose

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

druthers; preference

Context example:

given my druthers, I'd eat cake

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

alternative; choice; option (one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen)

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

wish (the particular preference that you have)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Grant of favor or advantage to one over another (especially to a country or countries in matters of international trade, such as levying duties)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

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

advantage; vantage (the quality of having a superior or more favorable position)

 Context examples 

But that it will be a fortunate preference is more than I can promise.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

But our preference is to stick with analogs we know, unless or until we find something unique.

('Oumuamua interstellar object was not an alien spacecraft, National Science Foundation)

Sensitive mice avoid other animals and lose their preference for sugar.

(Self-tuning neurons promote resilience to stress, depression, NIH)

The mice lost the preference when the scientists directed the device to simultaneously inject a drug that blocks neuronal communication.

(Futuristic brain probe allows for wireless control of neurons, NIH)

Indeed, the drug significantly decreased histone methylation in the nucleus accumbens and increased the preference for cocaine.

(What Causes Cocaine Addiction, NIH, US)

Mrs. Grant, I believe, suspects him of a preference for Julia; I have never seen much symptom of it, but I wish it may be so.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The results of this study suggest a potentially major—and previously unrecognized—role for the cerebellum in the creation and control of reward and social preference behaviors.

(New Findings Reveal Surprising Role of the Cerebellum in Reward and Social Behaviors, National Institutes of Health)

But you are always giving her the preference.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

"I should say the preference lies with you," responded Colonel Dent.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Her feelings, her preferences, had each known the happiness of a return.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)