favorite
gb/fˈeɪvɚɪt/ us/fˈeɪvɚɪt/
A1
English
~ 1400
kedvenc, legnagyobb esélyes, favorit
A1
1
kedvenc
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s favorite [thing/person/place]
My favorite movie is 'The Matrix'.
A Mátrix a kedvenc filmem.
She wore her favorite dress to the party.
A kedvenc ruháját vette fel a partira.
This is my favorite spot to relax by the river.
Chocolate ice cream is his favorite flavor.
He picked his favorite player for the team.
Learner examples
My favorite color is blue.
A kedvenc színem a kék.
This is my favorite book.
Ez a kedvenc könyvem.
Pizza is my favorite food.
She is my favorite teacher.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'favorite' with 'favourite'—both are correct, but 'favorite' is US spelling and 'favourite' is UK spelling.
Meaning
Most liked or preferred
Collocations
favorite food
|favorite song
|favorite book
|favorite color
|favorite place
Synonyms
preferred (Slightly more formal and can be used in broader contexts, not only emotional liking.)
Antonyms
least favorite (Indicates the one liked the least among a group.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Definition
Liked more than all the others.
Liked more than any other of the same kind.
NOUN
A2
2
kedvenc
A2
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is [someone]'s favorite
He is the clear favorite to win the race.
Ő a verseny egyértelmű esélyese.
That song has been a favorite of mine for years.
Az a dal évek óta a kedvencem.
The new restaurant quickly became a local favorite.
The teacher’s pet was always her favorite.
This author is a favorite among young readers.
Learner examples
This dog is my favorite.
Ez a kutya a kedvencem.
She is the teacher's favorite.
Ő a tanár kedvence.
Ice cream is my favorite.
He is my favorite singer.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse the noun form with the adjective form; the noun stands alone as a subject or object.
Meaning
Person or thing liked most
Collocations
be a favorite
|remain a favorite
|crowd favorite
|old favorite
Synonyms
darling (More affectionate or romantic in tone, often for a person.)
Antonyms
least favorite (Refers to the one liked the least in a group or category.)
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Definition
A person or thing you like most.
A person or thing regarded with special preference or liking above all others.
NOUN
B1
3
favorit
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is the favorite to [win/achieve something]
She is the favorite to win the gold medal.
Ő a legnagyobb esélyes az aranyérem megszerzésére.
Brazil is the betting favorite for the World Cup.
A fogadóirodáknál Brazília a vb legnagyobb esélyese.
The young chess player became the tournament favorite.
He entered the race as the clear favorite but lost unexpectedly.
The polls show him as the favorite in the election.
Learner examples
He is the favorite to win the game.
Ő a legnagyobb esélyes a meccs megnyerésére.
Our team is the favorite this year.
Idén a mi csapatunk a legnagyobb esélyes.
She is the favorite for the prize.
Brazil is the favorite for the match.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'favorite' meaning 'most liked' with 'favorite' meaning 'most likely to win'. Context clarifies this.
Meaning
Competitor expected to win
Collocations
odds-on favorite
|clear favorite
|betting favorite
Synonyms
front-runner (Commonly used in political or competitive contexts; emphasizes current lead rather than personal liking.)
Antonyms
underdog (A competitor expected to lose.)
Themes
sports
|competition
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person or team people think will win.
A competitor considered most likely to win a contest or race.
Grammar
Dictionary form
favorite
IPA
GB/fˈeɪvɚɪt/
US/fˈeɪvɚɪt/
Syllables & stress
fa - vor - ite (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fa)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: favorite
Noun
- Base: favorite
- Plural: favorite, favorites
Word family
Expressions
fan favorite
1/fˈæn fˈeɪvɚɪt/
fixed phrase
Most liked by fans
A person or thing that many fans like most.
Examples
- The player quickly became a fan favorite.
- That movie is a fan favorite among teenagers.
make someone’s day
1/mˈeɪk sˈʌmwˌʌnz dˈeɪ/
idiom
informal
Cause great happiness
To make someone feel very happy and pleased.
Examples
- Getting that message from you really made my day.
- Her smile made my day.
personal favorite
1/pˈɚsənəl fˈeɪvɚɪt/
fixed phrase
Most liked personally
Something you like more than anything else yourself, even if others don't agree.
Examples
- This song is a personal favorite of mine.
- That café is my personal favorite spot in town.
play favorites
1/plˈeɪ fˈeɪvɚɪts/
idiom
Show unfair preference
To treat one person better than others in an unfair way.
Examples
- The teacher was accused of playing favorites with certain students.
- Managers should avoid playing favorites at work.