# preferential

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈpɹɛf.ɜː(ɹ)ˌɛn.ʃəl/ · frequency rank #22,178

## Definitions
1. Of or relating to the showing or giving of preference.
2. Of or relating to a voting system in which the voters are allowed to indicate on their ballots their preference (usually their first and second choices) between two or more candidates, so that if no candidate receives a majority of first choices the one receiving the greatest number of first and second choices together is the winner.

## Etymology
From Medieval Latin preferentia + -al.

## Easily confused with
- **preferentially** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/preferential-vs-preferentially)

## Common misspellings (18)
`perferential`, `ppreferential`, `preefrential`, `prefeerntial`, `preferenital`, `preferenntial`, `preferentail`, `preferentiall`, `preferentila`, `preferenttial`, `preferetnial`, `prefernetial`, `preferrential`, `prefferential`, `prefreential`, `prfeerential`, `prreferential`, `rpeferential`

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