Eelistus

Eelistus is a noun in Estonian that denotes a preference or liking for one option over others. It can refer to a personal inclination, a favored choice in a decision, or the act of selecting something as preferable. The term is used in everyday language as well as in more formal contexts to describe which alternative is regarded as better or more suitable.

The word is derived from the verb eelistama, meaning to prefer. The prefix eel- conveys a sense of choosing in advance or prioritizing. In usage, eelistus can describe both subjective preferences (for example, a person’s culinary eelistus or music eelistus) and more objective tendencies (such as a default setting or common choice in a process). In plural form, eelistused, the word often appears in discussions about preferences across groups or systems, such as market eelistused or user eelistused in software.

In computing and data contexts, eelistus is commonly used to refer to user preferences or settings, preference-based filtering, or ranked choices within an interface. It also appears in research and planning to indicate favored options or biases that influence decisions.

Examples of usage: “Minu eelistus on terve toit,” meaning my preference is healthy food. “Rakenduse eelistused” refer to the user’s saved settings. “Eelistuste põhjal hinnati tulemusi” indicates evaluation based on preferences.

See also: eelistama, valik, eelistuslik.