Meaning

verb like better; value more highly

verb select as an alternative over another

verb promote over another

originFrom Middle English preferren, from Anglo-Norman preferer, from Latin praeferō. Displaced native Old English foresettan and foreberan. Doublet of prelate. See also infer, relate and refer, delate and defer, as well as collate and confer among others.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0