favourite
gb/fˈeɪvɚɪt/ us/fˈeɪvɚɪt/
A1
English
~ 2900
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
person or thing preferred
A person or thing you like more than others.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s favourite [thing/person]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'favourite' with 'favorite' spelling; 'favourite' is British English, 'favorite' is American English.
Synonyms
preferred (Emphasizes choice or selection rather than personal affection.)
|
beloved (Has a stronger emotional and affectionate tone.)
Antonyms
least favourite (Indicates the opposite end of preference, the one liked the least.)
Collocations
all-time favourite
|personal favourite
|crowd favourite
|become a favourite
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- Chocolate cake is my absolute favourite dessert.
- She quickly became the teacher's favourite in class.
- This park is a favourite spot for families on weekends.
- That novel is a favourite among young readers.
Learner examples
- Pizza is my favourite food.
- Blue is my favourite colour.
- My dog is my favourite animal.
- Soccer is my favourite sport.
adjective
A1
property
2
most liked or preferred
Liked more than any other.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s favourite [thing/person]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'most favourite', which is redundant because 'favourite' already means 'most liked'.
Synonyms
preferred (Emphasizes the choice aspect rather than affection.)
|
best-loved (Adds a warmer, more affectionate tone.)
Antonyms
least favourite (Direct opposite in preference.)
Collocations
favourite movie
|favourite song
|favourite place
|favourite teacher
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- Summer is my favourite season of the year.
- This is her favourite dress to wear to parties.
- He named Paris as his favourite city to visit.
- What's your favourite subject at school?
Learner examples
- Red is my favourite colour.
- Ice cream is my favourite snack.
- My favourite sport is basketball.
- She is my favourite singer.
Noun
B1
entity
3
competitor likely to win
A person or team people think will win.
Usage pattern:
the favourite to [win/achieve something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with general liking, not realizing it refers to competition prediction.
Synonyms
front-runner (Common in sports and politics; implies being ahead in competition.)
Antonyms
underdog (Refers to a competitor expected to lose.)
Collocations
clear favourite
|odds-on favourite
|make someone a favourite
Themes
sports
|competition
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She is the clear favourite to win the tennis tournament.
- The horse was the odds-on favourite before the race began.
- Many see him as the favourite for the job.
Learner examples
- He is the favourite to win the race.
- Our team is the favourite for the cup.
- That horse is the favourite in the race.
Grammar
Dictionary form
favourite
IPA
GB/fˈeɪvɚɪt/
US/fˈeɪvɚɪt/
Syllables & stress
fa - vour - ite (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fa)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: favourite
Noun
- Base: favourite
- Plural: favourite, favourites
Word family
Forms
favourites
noun
Core family
favour
noun A2
Related words
favourable
adjective B1
favourably
adverb B2
Negative and opposite forms
unfavourable
adjective
unfavourably
adverb
Advanced or less common
favouritism
noun
Expressions
favourite son
1/fˈeɪvɚɪt sˈʌn/
fixed phrase
locally admired male figure
A man from a place who is very popular there and often supported for an important position.
Examples
- The governor is considered the town's favourite son.
- The party nominated its favourite son for president.
play favourites
1/plˈeɪ fˈævˈaʊɹɪts/
idiom
show unfair preference
To treat one person better than others in an unfair way.
Examples
- The teacher was accused of playing favourites with certain students.
- Managers should avoid playing favourites in the workplace.
pet project
1/pˈɛt pɹˈɑd͡ʒɛkt/
fixed phrase
A project someone cares about most
A project someone likes very much and gives special attention to.
Examples
- The new park is the mayor's pet project.
- The playground renovation is the mayor's pet project.
- Restoring old cars has been his pet project for years.
- She spent years working on her pet project.
pet project
2/pˈɛt pɹˈɑd͡ʒɛkt/
fixed phrase
informal
Favorite personal project
A project that someone likes very much and spends extra time on, even if it is not important to others.
Examples
- Restoring the old car has become his pet project.
- She spends hours on her pet project every weekend.