PREFERRED

preferable, preferred

(adjective) more desirable than another; “coffee is preferable to tea”; “Danny’s preferred name is ‘Dan’”

favored, favorite, favourite, best-loved, pet, preferred, preferent

(adjective) preferred above all others and treated with partiality; “the favored child”

PREFER

choose, prefer, opt

(verb) select as an alternative over another; “I always choose the fish over the meat courses in this restaurant”; “She opted for the job on the East coast”

prefer

(verb) like better; value more highly; “Some people prefer camping to staying in hotels”; “We prefer sleeping outside”

prefer, favor, favour

(verb) promote over another; “he favors his second daughter”

prefer

(verb) give preference to one creditor over another

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Verb

preferred

simple past tense and past participle of prefer

Adjective

preferred (comparative more preferred, superlative most preferred)

favoured

Noun

preferred (plural preferreds)

(finance) Preferred stock.

Source: Wiktionary

PREFER

Pre*fer", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preferred; p. pr. & vb. n. Preferring.] Etym: [F. préférer, L. praeferre; prae before + ferre to bear or carry. See 1st Bear.]

1. To carry or bring (something) forward, or before one; hence, to bring for consideration, acceptance, judgment, etc.; to offer; to present; to proffer; to address; -- said especially of a request, prayer, petition, claim, charge, etc. He spake, and to her hand preferred the bowl. Pope. Presently prefer his suit to Cæsar. Shak. Three tongues prefer strange orisons on high. Byron.

2. To go before, or be before, in estimation; to outrank; to surpass. [Obs.] "Though maidenhood prefer bigamy." Chaucer.

3. To cause to go before; hence, to advance before others, as to an office or dignity; to raise; to exalt; to promote; as, to prefer an officer to the rank of general. I would prefer him to a better place. Shak.

4. To set above or before something else in estimation, favor, or liking; to regard or honor before another; to hold in greater favor; to choose rather; -- often followed by to, before, or above. If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Ps. cxxxvii. 6. Preferred an infamous peace before a most just war. Knolles. Preferred stock, stock which takes a dividend before other capital stock; -- called also preference stock and preferential stock.

Syn.

– To choose; elect. See Choose.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition