Where does “prefer” come from?

Prefer comes from Middle English preferren, from Old French preferer, from Latin praeferre meaning "to carry before or put first," from Proto-Italic praiferō.

prefer (English): To be in the habit of choosing something rather...

Definitions

  1. To be in the habit of choosing something rather...

Ancestry of “prefer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishpreferrenprefer to favor
2Anglo-Normanprefererto prefer; to prioritize
3LatinpraeferoI bear, hold or carry before or forth; I carry...
4Proto-Italicpraiferō—

Words derived from “prefer”

Every word from Proto-Italic praiferō →Every word from Latin praefero →Every word from Anglo-Norman preferer →
prefer — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer