Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A display of partiality toward a favored person or group.
  • noun The state of being held in special favor.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The disposition to favor one person or family, or one class of men, to the neglect of others having equal claims.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The disposition to favor and promote the interest of one person or family, or of one class of men, to the neglect of others having equal claims; partiality.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun US Alternative spelling of favouritism.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of prejudice
  • noun an inclination to favor some person or group

Etymologies

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Examples

  • I should call it "favoritism", it's a very popular word nowadays.

    The Shocking SAVE ONE SHOW Results | the TV addict 2007

  • Surely Huckabee, being a pastor, had to know he had lost favoritism from the Almighty because he is still in charge and not the Republican party.

    Huckabee: 'I take full responsibility' for suspect's clemency 2009

  • And McHale says favoritism is less an issue in larger families, where there's a coalition of siblings rather than an alliance between parent and offspring.

    Mom's favoritism can affect kids, sibling rivalry as adults 2010

  • In her new book, Mom Still Likes You Best, author Jane Isay of New York City says favoritism is a "recipe for the next generation to not like each other."

    Mom's favoritism can affect kids, sibling rivalry as adults 2010

  • And BTW the notion that some guy with a funny sounding name who looks nothing like what the majority thinks a president should look like would beat out one of the 3 real political dynasties in this country based on nepotism and favoritism from the MSM and the "they" as clinton calls them is completely absurd.

    Poll: Obama leads in Montana 2008

  • I wouldn't have been as annoyed at the results if Kristen hadn't shown her complete favoritism from the very beginning when she was clearly trying to get the VM fandom worked up over the fact that their show is very close to cancellation.

    The Shocking SAVE ONE SHOW Results | the TV addict 2007

  • That after the PM's crown business went up in ashes, his employer also the Prime Minister, appointed him as his own economic advisor, constituting what we know as favoritism and nepotism. "

    Matangi Tonga Online - 2009

  • White privilege is being able to fire people who didn’t support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.

    This is Your Nation on White Privilege | Disinformation 2008

  • Bush’s favoritism is evil and incompetent, while Clinton’s rewarding an Arkansas state trooper with FEMA is ignored or spun into something praise-worthy.

    Buck stops where? « BuzzMachine 2005

  • The bank has come to symbolize what critics call the favoritism and lack of transparency in Kabul business circles

    Kabul Bank Probe Yields First Arrests Maria Abi-Habib 2011

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