favorite

1 of 2

noun

fa·​vor·​ite ˈfā-v(ə-)rət 

ˈfā-vərt,

 chiefly dialectal  ˈfā-və-ˌrīt

1

: one that is treated or regarded with special favor or liking

That song is my favorite.

especially : a person who is specially loved, trusted, or provided with favors by someone of high rank or authority

The king granted the land to two of his favorites.

2

: a competitor judged most likely to win

Which horse is the favorite in this race?

favorite

2 of 2

adjective

: constituting a favorite

his favorite daughter

especially : markedly popular

the country's favorite sport

Synonyms

Noun

• darling
• preference

Adjective

• loved
• beloved
• cherished
• precious
• special
• darling
• favored
• sweet

Examples of favorite in a Sentence

Noun

Of all his books, do you have a favorite?

That movie is my favorite.

That movie is a great favorite with audiences everywhere.

Adjective

that teacher claims not to have any favorite students, although many in the class would disagree

mint chocolate chip is my favorite flavor of ice cream

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Heersink estimates that hop lovers will be able to get such 14er favorites as the Maroon Bells tropical ale or key lime pie cream ale by Christmastime. —Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 29 Oct. 2025

The collection features The Sleep Set, $226; The Date Night Set, $203, and The Baby Mama Set, $119, featuring Bumpsuit items and Brunel’s bestselling Renew Hair & Body Oil, $48, a favorite of Hailey Bieber’s. —Emily Burns, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2025

Adjective

In my favorite works of his, like A Case for the Existence of God and A Bright New Boise—a play that has its own surreal dynamic with television screens, which play images of hell in the middle of a big-box store—Hunter locates an unnerving mysticism in between the atoms of the hyper-real. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025

Crafted from 100% cotton, the fabric delivers the soft stretch and cozy feel of your favorite T-shirt while being gentle on the skin. —Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Italian favorito, past participle of favorire to favor, from favore favor, from Latin favor

First Known Use

Noun

1583, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1692, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing favorite

• co-favorite
• favorite son

Kids Definition

favorite

1 of 2 noun

fa·​vor·​ite ˈfāv-(ə-)rət 

1

: a person or a thing that is preferred more than others

2

: the contestant considered as having the best chance to win

favorite

2 of 2 adjective

: being a favorite

our favorite show