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préférer

Etymology and origin of the French word préférer

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
c. 1355, Bersuire, translation of Livy
Borrowed from
Latin praefero
Ultimate origin
Latin (ferō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin praefero
English prefer
French préférer

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /pʁe.fe.ʁe/[1]

Forms

préférer[1] The Académie wrote preferer in 1694 and 1718 and préférer from 1740.[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin praeferō (“to carry in front; to show; to prefer”), formed from prae- (“before”) and ferō (“to carry”).[2][3][4][5][6] French took over only the sense “to consider better”.[3] Littré noted that the Romance languages remade it as “*praeferire”, as in Spanish preferir and Italian preferire.[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found about 1355 in Pierre Bersuire's translation of Livy, meaning “to like better”: Il n'i ot nul en toute la juvente romaine qui par nul art li peust estre comparez ou preferez (“there was none in all the Roman youth who could in any way be compared or preferred to him”).[2][7]

Semantic evolution

The past participle préféré became an adjective in 1360 and a noun in 1711 (Dancourt), mon préféré.[3][2] Its constructions developed later: préférer de with the infinitive is in Madame de Sévigné (1685), and préférer que with the subjunctive was recorded by the Académie in 1835.[8] In 1875 Larousse recorded its use for things, such as plants that grow best in certain places.[2][3] Derivatives include préférence (1361) and préférable (1516).[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1355 – Preferer in Bersuire.[2]
  • 1360 – The adjective préféré.[3]
  • 1361 – Preferance.[3]
  • 1516 – Préférable.[3]
  • 1685 – Préférer de + infinitive, in Madame de Sévigné.[8]
  • 1711 – Le préféré in Dancourt.[2]
  • 1875 – Of plants, in Larousse.[2]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To prefer: préférer le thé au café.[9][10]
  2. With an infinitive or a clause: je préfère partir, je préfère qu'il vienne.[8][7]
  3. (of plants) To do best in: une plante qui préfère l'ombre.[3][2]
  4. Se préférer: to put oneself first.[7]

Word family

  • préférable
  • préférence
  • préféré

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 9, 294b
  7. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  9. ^ Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  10. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Préférer.” Etymologically, 18 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/pr%C3%A9f%C3%A9rer. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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