preference

Name: preference, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/

//ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“preference” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,000 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,000
frequency rank, English: 10
letters: 16
tracked misspellings: 1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The selection of one thing or person over others (with the main adposition being "for" in relation to the thing or person, but possibly also "of")

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

preference vs precedence

80% similar

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

Key facts for preference
Property	Value
Headword	preference
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/
Letters	10
Frequency rank	#6,000
Misspellings tracked	16
Confusable pairs	1
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “preference” 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). preference lands here:

#6,000

#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 preference is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,000 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for preference, with forms such as "perference", "ppreference", and "preefrence". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "precedence", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French preference, from Medieval Latin preferentia. Doublet of preferans. Morphologically prefer + -ence. The correct English form is preference, spelled P-R-E-F-E-R-E-N-C-E.

Definition

1
The selection of one thing or person over others (with the main adposition being "for" in relation to the thing or person, but possibly also "of")
2
The option to so select, and the one selected.
3
The state of being preferred over others.
4
A strong liking or personal valuation.
5
A preferential bias; partiality; discrimination.

Etymology

From Middle French preference, from Medieval Latin preferentia. Doublet of preferans. Morphologically prefer + -ence.

Synonyms

forechoice predilection

This word in other languages

preferencia(Español)préférence(Français)Vorliebe(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: perference,ppreference,preefrence,prefeernce,preferance,preferecne,preferencce,preferenec,preferennce,prefernece,preferrence,prefference,prefreence,prfeerence,prreference,rpeference

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of preference - 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.

Edit distance from "preference"

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 "preference"?

"preference" is spelled P-R-E-F-E-R-E-N-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/.

What does "preference" mean?

As a noun, "preference" means: The selection of one thing or person over others (with the main adposition being "for" in relation to the thing or person, but possibly also "of")

What words are commonly confused with "preference"?

"preference" is commonly confused with "precedence". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "preference"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "preference" is /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/. 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 "preference"?

From Middle French preference, from Medieval Latin preferentia. Doublet of preferans. Morphologically prefer + -ence. 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 “preference”

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

The one correct English spelling is P-R-E-F-E-R-E-N-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “precedence” - see the side-by-side comparison. preference vs precedence
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.