preferable

/ˈpɹefəəbəl/PREH-fur-uh-buhl

/ˈpɹɛfɚəbəl/PREH-fur-uh-buhl

Meaningto be preferred

Common meaning: better

Other meanings: more desirable

prebeforeSkeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), p. 463 · scan
ferto bear, bringLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 737 · scan
ableable to be

‘before’ + ‘to bear, bring’ → preferable

Journey through time

Latinprae- + ferre‘before + to bear, bring’source
Latinpreferresource
Old Frenchpreferersource
Englishprefer‘to like better’
Englishformed in English from preferpreferable‘better’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from prefer + -able.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), PREFER, p.463 · scan

Roots

ferō, tulī, lātum Latin “to bear, bring”
preferre Latin “to carry in front”

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