prefer

[pɹɪˈfɝ]

/[pɹɪˈfɝ]/ verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"prefer" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“prefer” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,640 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#2,640
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
14
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

prefer vs proper
67% similar
prefer vs primer
67% similar
prefer vs prefix
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for prefer
PropertyValue
Headwordprefer
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA[pɹɪˈfɝ]
Letters6
Frequency rank#2,640
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs14
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “prefer” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). prefer lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for prefer is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as [pɹɪˈfɝ]. Corpus data places it at rank #2,640 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for prefer, with forms such as "perfer", "pprefer", and "preefr". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 14 confusable-pair relationships, "proper", "primer", "prefix", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English preferren, from Anglo-Norman preferer, from Latin praeferō. Displaced native Old English foresettan and foreberan. Doublet of prelate. See also infer, relate and refer, delate and defer, as well as collate and confer among others. The correct English form is prefer, spelled P-R-E-F-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.
  2. 2
    To advance, promote (someone or something).
  3. 3
    To present or submit (something) to an authority (now usually in "to prefer charges").
  4. 4
    To put forward for acceptance; to introduce, recommend (to).

Etymology

From Middle English preferren, from Anglo-Norman preferer, from Latin praeferō. Displaced native Old English foresettan and foreberan. Doublet of prelate. See also infer, relate and refer, delate and defer, as well as collate and confer among others.

This word in other languages

preferir(Español)préférer(Français)vorziehen(Deutsch)preferir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: perfer,pprefer,preefr,preferr,preffer,prefre,prfeer,prrefer,rpefer

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of prefer - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

perfer2pprefer1preefr2preferr1preffer1prefre2prfeer2prrefer1
Edit distance from "prefer"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "prefer"?
"prefer" is spelled P-R-E-F-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is [pɹɪˈfɝ].
What does "prefer" mean?
As a verb, "prefer" means: To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.
What words are commonly confused with "prefer"?
"prefer" is commonly confused with "proper", "primer", "prefix". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "prefer"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "prefer" is [pɹɪˈfɝ]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "prefer"?
From Middle English preferren, from Anglo-Norman preferer, from Latin praeferō. Displaced native Old English foresettan and foreberan. Doublet of prelate. See also infer, relate and refer, delate and defer, as well as collate and confer among others. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “prefer”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-R-E-F-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as [pɹɪˈfɝ] (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “proper” - see the side-by-side comparison. prefer vs proper
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list