different between preference vs prepossession

English

Alternative forms

• præference (archaic)

Etymology 1

From Middle French preference, from Medieval Latin preferentia. Doublet of preferans.

Morphologically prefer +? -ence.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p??f(?)?(?)ns/

Noun

preference (countable and uncountable, plural preferences)

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")

   He has a preference for crisp wines.

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.

Synonyms

• forechoice
• (preferential bias): see Thesaurus:predilection

Derived terms

• preference share(s}
• preference stock

Translations

Verb

preference (third-person singular simple present preferences, present participle preferencing, simple past and past participle preferenced)

1. (US) To give preferential treatment to; to give a preference to.

See also

• preferences

Etymology 2

Noun

preference (uncountable)

1. Preferans, a card game, principally played in Eastern Europe.

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?pr?f?r?nt?s?]

Noun

preference f

1. preference (selection of one thing or person over others)

Derived terms

• preferen?ní

Related terms

• See oferta
• preferovat

See also

• up?ednostn?ní

Further reading

• preference in P?íru?ní slovník jazyka ?eského, 1935–1957
• preference in Slovník spisovného jazyka ?eského, 1960–1971, 1989

Middle French

Noun

preference f (plural preferences)

1. preference (option preferred over another option)

English

Etymology

pre- +? possession.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p?i?p??z???n/

Noun

prepossession (countable and uncountable, plural prepossessions)

1. Preoccupation; having possession beforehand.
2. A preconceived opinion, or previous impression; bias, prejudice.
   • 1902, William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience, Folio Society 2008, p. 386:

     The spontaneous intellect of man always defines the divine which it feels in ways that harmonise with its temporary intellectual prepossessions.

Quotations

• 1791 : I am fully sensible to the greatness of that freedom, which I take with you on the present occasion; a liberty which seemed to me scarcely allowable, when I reflected on that distinguished and dignified station in which you stand, and the almost general prejudice and prepossession, which is so prevalent in the world against those of my complexion. - Letter from Benjamin Banneker to Thomas Jefferson, August 19, 1791

References

• prepossession in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.