favor

Pronunciation: /ˈfeɪ.vɚ/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B1 — Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun an act of gracious kindness
  2. noun an advantage to the benefit of someone or something
  3. noun an inclination to approve

Etymology

From Middle English favour, favor, faver, from Anglo-Norman favour, from mainland Old French favor, from Latin favor (“good will; kindness; partiality”), from faveō (“to be kind to”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂weh₁yeti (“to be favourable to”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to shine, glow light”). Respelled in American English to more closely match its Latin etymon. Compare also Danish favør (“favor”), Irish fabhar (“favor”), from the same Romance source.

In classic literature

Synonyms

favour

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
kindness
Narrower (hyponyms)
turn

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