Use favorite before a noun when naming the one someone likes best. In British English, favourite is the usual spelling, while favorite is standard in US English.
Use favorite before a noun when naming the one someone likes best. In British English, favourite is the usual spelling, while favorite is standard in US English.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| My most favorite color is blue. | My favorite color is blue. |
| This is favorite book. | This is my favorite book. |
| He is favorite to me. | He is my favorite. |
| Favourite is wrong in all English. | Favourite is the British spelling, and favorite is the US spelling. |
Use favorite as a noun for the top choice in a group. It can be warm and positive, but teacher's favorite or boss's favorite may imply unfair special treatment.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Choose a favorite one from the list. | Choose a favorite from the list. |
| The favorites is on the table. | The favorites are on the table. |
| She is a favorite of the teacher. | She is the teacher's favorite. |
| He is my most favorite. | He is my favorite. |
Use favorite in sports, betting, awards, and elections for the expected winner. Use front-runner when the context is mainly politics or a long-running contest.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| She is favorite win the award. | She is the favorite to win the award. |
| The favorite for lose was obvious. | The favorite to lose was obvious. |
| The favorite team is more likely to lose. | The favorite team is expected to win. |
| The underdog was the favorite. | The underdog was not the favorite. |
Use favorite as a verb in digital contexts, especially when an app uses a star, heart, or favorites list. In more general writing, save, bookmark, or mark as favorite may be clearer.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| I favor this photo in the app. | I favorite this photo in the app. |
| I favorite yesterday the page. | I favorited the page yesterday. |
| She favoriteds every song. | She favorites every song. |
| Tap favorite the star. | Tap the star to favorite the item. |
Use the spelling that matches the variety of English being used. The word is friendly and common for preference, but in competition it means expected to win, and in apps it means marked or saved.
Most favorite is often redundant. Favorite already means liked best, although very favorite appears informally for emphasis.
From Italian favorito and French favori, related to favor, meaning approval or special kindness. The spelling favorite is standard in American English, while favourite is standard in British English and many Commonwealth varieties.
What does favorite mean?
It means liked best, a person or thing liked best, an expected winner, or an item marked in software.
Is favorite an adjective, noun, or verb?
It can be all three: a favorite song, my favorite, and to favorite a post.
What is the British spelling of favorite?
The British spelling is favourite. Favorite is the standard US spelling.
Is most favorite correct?
It is often redundant because favorite already means liked best. My favorite is usually better than my most favorite.
What is the plural of favorite?
The plural noun is favorites.
What does favorite mean in sports?
It means the person or team expected to win, not necessarily the one people like most.
What does favorite mean in an app?
As a verb, it means to mark or save something so it is easy to find again.