preference | meaning of preference in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English | LDOCE
preference
pref‧e‧rence
/
ˈpref
ə
rəns
/
●●○
W3
noun
1
[
countable, uncountable
]
PREFER
if you have a preference for something, you like it more than another thing and will choose it if you can
→
prefer
Do you
have
a colour
preference
?
preference for
a cultural preference for boy babies
Parents may be able to
express
a
preference
as to the school their child will attend.
The amount of sugar you add will depend on
personal preference
.
Many elderly people expressed a
strong preference
to live in their own homes.
in preference to something
(=
rather than something
)
Use clear English in preference to technical language.
2
[
countable, uncountable
]
when someone is treated more favourably than other people, often when he or she has been treated unfairly in the past
Racial preferences are a way to make up for years of discrimination against minorities.
give/show preference (to somebody)
In allocating housing, preference is given to families with young children.
3
→
sexual preference
COLLOCATIONS
verbs
have a preference
Do you have a preference for red or white wine?
express a preference
He avoided expressing a preference for any of the remaining Democratic candidates.
show a preference
Females showed a preference for long-tailed males.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + preference
a strong preference
In some countries, there is still a strong preference for sons.
a clear preference
There was a clear preference amongst the staff for this style of leadership.
a marked preference
(=
strong and clear
)
The animals have a marked preference for woodland.
a personal preference
My personal preference is to eat meat only once or twice a week.
individual preferences
This partnership can take a variety of forms, depending on individual preferences.
consumer preferences
Information about local consumer preferences can be used by a manufacturer’s sales force.
food preferences
Very young children may have clear food preferences.
phrases
in order of preference
Please list your choice of colleges in order of preference.
be a matter of personal preference
(=
be something that you can choose, according to what you like
)
Which one you decide to buy is just a matter of personal preference.
