# favor

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈfeɪ.və/ · frequency rank #2,576

## Definitions
1. A kind or helpful deed; an instance of voluntarily assisting (someone).
2. Goodwill; benevolent regard.
3. A small gift; a party favor.
4. Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity.
5. The object of regard; person or thing favoured.
6. Appearance; look; countenance; face.
7. Partiality; bias
8. A letter, a written communication.
9. A resemblance, likeness.
10. Anything worn publicly as a pledge of a woman's favor.
11. A ribbon or similar small item that is worn as an adornment, especially in celebration of an event.

## 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.

## Easily confused with
- **for** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-for)
- **flor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-flor)
- **floor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-floor)
- **fever** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-fever)
- **Favre** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-favre)
- **fiver** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-fiver)
- **Fedor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-fedor)
- **favour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-favour)
- **flavor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-flavor)
- **favors** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-favors)
- **fervor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-fervor)
- **flavour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-flavour)
- **favours** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/favor-vs-favours)
- **far** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/far-vs-favor)
- **FAO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fao-vs-favor)
- **fair** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fair-vs-favor)
- **fave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fave-vs-favor)
- **Faso** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/faso-vs-favor)
- **Farr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/farr-vs-favor)
- **faro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/faro-vs-favor)

## Common misspellings (7)
`afvor`, `faovr`, `favorr`, `favro`, `favvor`, `ffavor`, `fvaor`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/favor