like better; value more highly
"Some people prefer camping to staying in hotels"
"We prefer sleeping outside"
give preference to one creditor over another
"The bankruptcy court ruled that the secured lender would prefer its claim against the debtor's assets before any unsecured creditors were paid."
To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.
"I prefer coffee over tea when I start my morning routine."
In plain English: To prefer means to like one thing better than another.
"I prefer coffee to tea in the morning."
Usage: Use "prefer" to express that you choose or like one thing more than another, often followed by a gerund or an infinitive. It indicates a habitual choice or stronger liking, such as saying I prefer walking to driving.
The word "prefer" entered Middle English from Anglo-Norman and ultimately Latin praeferō, meaning to carry or place before something else. It replaced the native Old English words for setting things ahead and shares a common root with related terms like defer and refer.