favor

Meanings

Noun

• A kind or helpful deed; an instance of voluntarily assisting (someone).
• Goodwill; benevolent regard.
• A small gift; a party favor.
• Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity.
• The object of regard; person or thing favoured.
• Appearance; look; countenance; face.
• Partiality; bias
• A letter, a written communication.
• Anything worn publicly as a pledge of a woman's favor.
• A ribbon or similar small item that is worn as an adornment, especially in celebration of an event.

Verb

• To look upon fondly; to prefer.
• To encourage, conduce to
• To do a favor [noun sense 1] for; to show beneficence toward.
• To treat with care.
• To resemble; especially, to look like (another person).

Related

Similar words

• aid
• help
• lend a hand
• token
• abet
• assist
• endorse
• favoritize
• favourite
• sanction

Opposite words

• disfavor
• discriminate
• discrimination
• harm
• sabotage
• unfavor

Origin

• From Middle English favour, favor, faver, from Anglo-Norman favour, from mainland Old French favor, from Latin favor ("good will; kindness; partiality"), from faveō. Respelled in American English to more closely match its Latin etymon. Compare also Danish favør ("favor"), Irish fabhar ("favor"), from the same Romance source.