Is the word favourite an adjective

Last Update: Jan 03, 2023

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“Favorite” (or “favourite,” if that’s the spelling you favour) is a word that can be used both as a noun and as an adjective. … We mentioned that favorite can also be used as an adjective. When we use it like that, favorite has only one meaning—“most liked” or “preferred”: Blue is Peter’s favorite color.

Can the word favorite be a verb?

What type of word is favorite? As detailed above, ‘favorite’ can be a verb, an adjective or a noun. Adjective usage: That is my favorite flavor of ice cream, I’d eat it daily if I could. Noun usage: The teacher’s favorite always went first.

Is Favourite an adjective of quality?

FAVOURITE (adjective) definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary.

Is like an adjective or noun?

In English, the word like has a very flexible range of uses, ranging from conventional to non-standard. It can be used as a noun, verb, adverb, adjective, preposition, particle, conjunction, hedge, filler, and quotative.

Is my a verb or a noun?

Yes, the word «my» is a pronoun . Instead of noun, we use a pronoun. It is also a pronoun but it is called possessive adjective .

24 related questions found

A client recently asked me if I could write for a British audience. She quipped, “I’ve seen you use favourite around social, so I thought you’re familiar with the spellings used in the U.K.”

Her observation was, of course, on point. I was, in fact, using the British spelling of favourite. But what I didn’t realize was whether I was using it correctly. As mortifying as it is to admit, I was just using the -our version of the word because it seemed right. 

Then came another realization: I had to revise my spellings across the board. And, here I am, dear reader — sharpening my digital pencil to clarify what’s right, favorite vs. favourite, in the divided world of English language.

Let’s hit it.

What’s the correct way to spell favorite?

First things first, both favorite and favourite are correct spellings. The version that’s correct for you, however, depends on where you live and who you’re writing for — same goes for canceled vs. cancelled.

Primarily, you need to remember:

This latter version with a “u” is also the spelling that’s largely preferred in other countries that favor British English, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. 

That said, the spelling difference is applicable on all relatives of the word, including favorites, favorited, and favoritism in the US and favourites, favourited, and favouritism in the UK and other countries.

Here are example sentences using favorite and favor: 

Now change favorite to favourite in all these instances and you’ll be writing for a UK audience.

The definition of favorite 

Here’s an interesting fact about the word favorite: it’s used as a noun, an adjective, as well as a verb. This means the word basically has three definitions. Let’s look at each with an example.

Favorite as a noun

When something or someone is preferred over another, favorite is used as a noun. Synonyms for favorite as a noun are front-runner, darling, and preference.

Favorite as an adjective

When a noun is preferred over other things or people, favorite is used as an adjective to describe it. Synonyms for the adjective favorite are best-loved, most liked, treasured, special, and ideal.

Favorite as a verb

Lastly, when you like or mark something for the purpose of saving it for later, you’re using favorite as a verb.

That said, there’s a fourth definition of favorite as well: a record or address that you bookmark is called a favorite. For instance, she favorited a tweet on gender equality.

Origin of favorite

Essentially, both spellings — favorite and favourite are pronounced the same way as: FAY-vuh-rit, FAY-vrit, or ˈfeɪv rɪt. The same is true for the word’s etymology.

The word favorite traces back to the 16th century. It comes from an obsolete word, favorit in French that, in turn, comes from Italian favorito — past participle of favorire meaning “to favor.” The root of this chain traces to the Latin word, favor.

The difference between the spellings, however, comes from Brits and Americans following different dictionaries for their spellings.

Folks in the UK have by and large referred to Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language that uses the following spelling: favourite.

Americans, on the other hand, have referenced Noah Webster’s An American Dictionary of the English Language. The earlier version of this dictionary (1806), used favourite. In the 1828 version, however, the spelling was cropped to favorite by excluding the “u.”

The same is true for the word “cancelled” being spelled as “canceled” in the later version of the dictionary. Perhaps it’s why Webster is known for his love for simplicity and for making spellings truly “American.” Or, he was inspired by Milton’s use of favorite (without “u”) in the 17th century — who knows, really!

Whatever the reason for Webster’s choice, the shorter — without “u” — spelling slowly gained popularity and is the preferred spelling in the US today.

Favorite vs. favourite examples

How to remember which spelling to use for favorite vs. favourite

Good question. Use these three tricks:

“U” is for UK and favourite

A simple way to distinguish between the American and British spelling is to remember that the extra “u” goes into the British version of the word — same as the “U” in United Kingdom.

Now, you’d argue there’s a “u” in US too. But, you can call US as the States, which doesn’t make the “u” mandatory (as it is in UK — you don’t say Kingdom, after all).

Refer to your styleguide

Whether you’re a student or a journalist/writer, you’ll have to understand which spelling your school or brand uses.

For example, if you’re in the UK, you’ll use favourite. Similarly, if you’re outside the UK but your school follows the GCSE or GCE system, you’ll, again, be using favourite.

In the same vein, the publication you write for will be using one spelling for consistency (we use favorite, for example). Get their style guide to see their preferred spelling. If you tend to forget, go back to the style guide before shipping content. Or, take a shortcut that we’ll share next.

Use Writer

Based on whether you set Writer’s setting to UK or US English, Writer can help you use the correct version. So, if you tend to move from country to country or write for audiences from different countries, Writer can help you use the correct spelling. Easy, isn’t it? Start a free trial today.

More resources

American writers and British writers spell some words differently, even when they mean the same thing. You can see these disparate spellings any time you read American and British publications. An article in The Wall Street Journal, for instance, might contain the word favorite, while an article in The Economist might contain the word favourite.

Many times, these spelling differences are the result of different standardization at the editorial level. As languages evolve, these standards can and do change, as well.

As a writer yourself, you will have to choose between these two variants when you use the word. Neither is incorrect, but there are definitely situations where favorite is preferable to favourite, and vice versa. The difference, like in so many writing dilemmas, comes down to your intended audience.

So, how should you spell favorite in your writing? Let’s find out.

What is the Difference Between Favorite and Favourite?

In this post, I will compare favorite vs. favourite. I will outline when these spellings are appropriate and showcase how they are used in example sentences, so that you can see them in context.

Plus, I will show you a helpful mnemonic device that will help you choose either favourite or favorite for your own writing.

When to Use Favorite

What does favorite mean? Favorite is an adjective. Favorite describes something which is preferred above all others.

Here are some examples,

• Geraldine’s favorite food is pizza, but she will never say no to hot wings, either.
• Robert has a favorite word, but he cannot repeat it in polite company.
• Dominique’s favorite thing to do on a sunny afternoon is walk her dog in the city park.
• My new favorite heirloom white beans are the small, round Italian purgatory beans, fagioli del purgatorio, which have a tender, creamy texture. –The New York Times

Favorite is the standard spelling of this word in American English.

When to Use Favourite

What does favourite mean? Favourite is an alternative spelling of the same word. It is the standard spelling in British English. It can be used in all the same contexts as favorite, and carries the same meaning.

For example,

• Bob Baffert, whose Arrogate is the favourite for the $10m Dubai World Cup on Saturday, said here on Wednesday his colt is “the dirt version of Frankel”, the brilliant champion who won all 14 of his races in England in the same green, white and pink colours of Prince Khalid Abdullah. –The Guardian

The following two charts show the relative usage of favourite vs. favorite in American English and British English, respectively, since 1800.

As you can see, favorite has been preferred in American English since shortly before 1850, when it overtook favourite in usage. Favourite has always been preferred in British English.

These charts aren’t exhaustive in their scope, but they do help for identifying long-term trends.

Trick to Remember the Difference

Choosing between favorite and favourite is simple: you must consider your audience.

• For American readers, choose favorite.
• For British readers, choose favourite.

Since favourite contains an extra U, like United Kingdom, this should be an easy decision to make.

Summary

Is it favorite or favourite? Favorite and favourite are alternative spellings of the same word, which refers to something that is preferred above all others.

• Favorite is the American spelling.
• Favourite is the British spelling.

For British audiences, you should use favourite. This is easy to remember, since favourite and United Kingdom are both spelled with the letter U, unlike favorite.

In summary, favorite is the American form of this word. Favourite is the British form.

What is the difference between favorite and favourite?

“Favorite” is a spelling variant of “favourite.” Americans prefer “favorite,” while the rest of the English-speaking world uses “favourite.” From there, the only other notable difference involves pronunciation: Americans typically say “fay-vuh-rit” (three syllables), while British English pronounces the word as “fay–vrit” (two syllables). 

What is the definition of favorite?

The word favorite (or “favourite“) is a noun and adjective that references someone or something well-liked or preferred to all others. For example, 

“Mint chocolate is my favorite flavor of ice cream.” (adjective)

“Ruth’s favorite color is pink.” (adjective)

“Out of all the classic movies, Roman Holiday is my favorite.” (noun)

In this sense, we could say the noun “favorite” is synonymous with the phrase “cup of tea,” while the adjective is more like the words cherry-picked, choice, favored, preferred, or select. However, the word favorite can also suggest certain connotations or topics such as “the favorite,” a “crowd favorite,” the “big favorite,” or a “favorites tab.” Let’s take a look.

The favorite

When we use favorite as a noun, it often suggests that someone is so beloved or favored that they receive preferential treatment from others (especially authority figures). In this sense, the noun is synonymous with darling, jewel, preference, pet, or minion. 

Example sentences:

• “Jake never has to work because he’s the manager’s favorite.”
• “You’ve always been the teacher’s favorite.”
• “Dad lets her borrow the car because she’s his favorite.”
• “Your favorite has a special favor to ask of you.”

The same sense of “favorite” can apply as an adjective when it’s synonymous with words like cherished, dear, esteemed, precious, special, or revered.

Example sentences:

• “Everyone knows I’m the favorite child.”
• “The favorite employee never gets in trouble.”

Sometimes, “favorite” suggests a romantic interest or relationship between people. Historical writing often suggests such affairs by describing the lover of an authority figure or royal member as a friend, companion, royal mistress, or “favorite” (e.g., “Rumor has it that she’s the king’s favorite…”). You get the point. 

Mass favorite

When someone or something achieves mass popularity, it’s often called the “crowd favorite” or simply “favorite.” In this sense, the noun is the equivalent of “crowd-pleaser,” but it can also appear as an adjective when synonymous with du jour, fashionable, hot, pop, popular, preferred, vogue, or wanted.

Example sentences:

• “The dacquoise recipes were the crowd favorite at this year’s bake-a-thon.”
• “John Waters’ remains a favorite among cult movie followings.” 
• “Top Chefs’ season favorite whipped up a delicious cake feast.”
• “We play today’s favorite songs from the hitmakers you love.”

Alternatively, the noun “favorite” might reference a competitor with the best odds of winning a game or contest (especially when people are placing bets). In this sense, “favorite” is synonymous with front runner, expected winner, or probable winner.

Example sentences:

• “Lassy is the clear favorite on the bookies’ list this weekend.”
• “The heavy-weight favorite holds current odds of 2.5-to-1.”
• “The big favorite didn’t win but pulled into a respectable seventh place.”

“Add to favorites”

With the advent of the internet, the word favorite has evolved to describe the act of saving a web address. In this case, “to favorite” (verb) is “to bookmark” or save the address of a website to a web browser for quick, future access; The saved web address or data source is the “favorite” (noun). 

Example sentences:

• “You’ll want to save this page to your favorites tab.”
• “Be sure to favorite that article from the Los Angeles Times.”
• “The student favorited several different national publications.”

The same sense can apply to social media platforms, where “to favorite” means “to like,” “bookmark,” or save content (especially photos) for the purpose of encouragement or future reference. Again, the “favorite” in this situation is the saved content. 

Example sentences:

• “Instagram users used to be able to see which photos their friends were favoriting in real-time.”
• “She favorited my photos from the trip we took to the Great Wall of China.”
• “Do you want me to favorite your post?”
• “Our mayor has quite the interesting favorites tab, I see.”

Favorite vs. favourite: Why the switch?

The American preference of “favorite” was highly influenced by the efforts of Noah Webster, co-founder of Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, around the early 1900s. During this time, the dictionary drew lines between the use of words like theater/theatre and other terms that originally ended with –our, such as humor/humor, honor/honour, color/colour, and behavior/behaviour.

However, the American dictionary was not the first to make its mark on the use of favorite/favorite. Merriam-Webster’s grammar blog explains how variations of the word existed long before Webster’s time and how “favorit” and “favourit” were also a thing up until the mid 17th century. How did this happen, you ask?

According to Merriam-Webster, “favorite” first arrived in the English language during the 1600s from the Italian noun favorito. However, The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories states that the noun actually comes from French favorit via Italian favorito, the past participle of favorire (‘to favor’). (Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary from 1755 attributes the term to French favori, favorite, and Italian favorita.) 

Either way, Italian favorito and favorire ultimately stem from the Latin base of favor (‘kindness, kindly regard’), a term English speakers already used as “favour” from the Anglo-French around the 14th century. In fact, much of the English language at the time was influenced by nearby Germanic languages and particularly Old French after the Norman Conquest of the 11th century. 

As a result, Early Middle English contained numerous spelling variants, and the precedents set by Anglo-French spellings (such as those ending in -our) often influenced the majority rule. With “favour” in strong circulation, the spelling of “favourite” eventually surpassed the usage of “favorite,” favorit,” and “favourit”––becoming the prevalent British spelling by the 1680s. 

While you’d expect the opposite to be true for the United States––which gained independence from England in 1776––“favourite” was actually the dominant spelling for Americans up until the early 19th century. 

The Americanization of British spellings

Similar to the situation in Great Britain, the English spoken in colonial American settlements was highly influenced by other languages and contained many spelling variants. Standardized spelling was not as prevalent until Noah Webster’s Compendious Dictionary of the English Language in 1806, the first American dictionary. 

Webster’s initial spelling changes involved:

• Replacing –ce with –se for words like defence, offence, and pretence
• Removing of the second silent –i– for the past tense of verbs like travel and cancel
• Removing the –u– from words like humour and colour
• Removing the –k– from words like publick and musick

At the time of publication, the spellings of “favor” and “favorite” were not prominent in American English. As shown by Google Books Ngram Viewer, American literature between 1500 and 1810 reflected a stronger preference for “favour” and “favourite.” So, why the change? 

A different post from Merriam-Webster’s blog indicates that the lexicographer’s Americanized spellings were motivated by his “logic and aesthetics” and not necessarily common usage. Moreover, the dictionary’s Usage Notes states: 

“[Webster] wanted the spellings of words to better reflect their pronunciations, and he also wanted the English of the US to be distinct from the English of the British Crown.”

After Webster’s initial dictionary and his 1820 publication, An American Dictionary of the English Language, the use of “favour” and “favourite” declined considerably by 1880, reaching obscurity in American literature over the next hundred years. 

The state of English today

While English is the dominant or official language in at least 49 countries or territories around the world, cultural customs have prevailed to form different types of English with distinct dialects and standardized usage. As such, American English has made considerable deviations from British spelling standards within the Oxford English Dictionary, making American writing distinct from that found in Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada (with the exception of Quebec, a French-speaking territory).

Since Canada is right above the US, some Canadian publications reflect merging spelling styles. For example, the Canadian Press Style Guide has opted to use American program over British programme in the past. But in the case of the word favorite, Canadians are always more likely to use British spellings, such as flavour, labour, harbour, honour, rumour, and, yes, favourite.

There are plenty of other examples of how English varies in different parts of the world. For example, there are phrases in Great Britain, South Africa, or Australia (particularly slang terms we shouldn’t repeat) that would be difficult to incorporate in North American English without being grammatically incorrect or unclear. 

Likewise, the English spoken in North America varies in accent and coherency and may be markedly different or consistent with British-sounding accents. For example, one American might pronounce aunt as “ant,” while another might say “awe-nt” (like the English do). Meanwhile, Americans pronounce water as “wah–ter,” “wah–ta,” or “war–ter,” whereas British accents tend to sound like “woo–ter.” 

The pronunciations of favorite/favourite are different, as well. Most Americans say “fay-vuh-rit” (three syllables), while others use the British English pronunciation of “fay-vrit” (two syllables). In fact, some Americans might even skip saying the whole word and use “fave” instead, although it’s not recommended for formal conversations or writing. 

Additional reading

For more grammar content involving British and American English, check out the following lessons from The Word Counter: 

• Aluminum vs. aluminium?
• Gray or grey?
• Learnt vs. learned?
• Supper vs. dinner?
• Yay or nay?

Test Yourself!

Test how well you understand the topics of favorite vs. favourite with the following questions. 

Section 1: True or false?

1. “Favorite” is the American spelling of the British word “favourite.”
   a. True
   b. False
2. “Favorite” is the preferred spelling in the US thanks to a famous British lexicographer. 
   a. True
   b. False
3. Favorite/favourite share a common backstory through the Latin word flavor.
   a. True
   b. False
4. “Favorite” was the original spelling of “favourite” in Great Britain.
   a. True
   b. False

6. “Favourite” is the British English spelling of the word “favorite,” but there’s also a strong preference for the spelling in ______________.
a. New Zealand English
b. Australian English
c. Canadian English
d. All of the above

7. This famous American lexicographer played a major role in making “favorite” the standard spelling in America.
a. Samuel Johnson
b. William Wordsworth
c. Noah Webster
d. John Milton

8. Which word(s) became “misspellings” in American English after the 19th century?
a. Behavior
b.Defence
c. Pretense
d. All of the above

9. The word “favorite” entered the English language via ____________.
a. Old French 
b. Anglo-Saxon settlers in the 5th century
c. Germanic origin
d. The arrival of English settlers in North America

10. Besides spelling, another big difference between American and British English involves _________________.
a. The way Americans pronounce certain words
b. The addition of unnecessary letters in the American alphabet
c. The omission of large vocabulary words in American dictionaries
d. All of the above

Quiz Answers

1. A
2. B
3. B
4. A
5. C
6. D
7. C
8. B
9. A
10. A

Sources

1. Chantrell, Glynnis, Ed. “Favour; Favourite.” The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories, Oxford University Press, 2002, p. 201.
2. “English pronunciation of favourite.” Cambridge Dictionary, Cambridge University Press, 2021.
3. “Favourite.” Lexico, Oxford University Press, 2021.
4. “‘Favorite’ vs. ‘Favourite.’” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., 2021.
5. “How to pronounce AUNT in English.” Cambridge Dictionary, Cambridge University Press, 2021.
6. “How to pronounce WATER in English.” Cambridge Dictionary, Cambridge University Press, 2021.
7. Johnson, S (1755). “Favourite, n.s.” Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary, johnsonsdictionary.com, n.d. 
8. Lynch, J. “How Johnson’s Dictionary Became the First Dictionary.” Johnson and the English Language Conference, Birmingham, 25 Aug 2005.
9. “Noah Webster and America’s First Dictionary.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., 2021.
10. “Noah Webster’s Spelling Reform.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., 2021.
11. Photos by P T and Aung Soe Min on Unsplash.