favorisiert

Favorisiert is the past participle and adjective of the German verb favorisieren, meaning to favor or to give preference to someone or something over others. It can describe a person who is preferred, as in eine favorisierte Kandidatin, or a choice that has been given priority, as in eine favorisierte Lösung. The form can appear attributively or predicatively: Die Kandidatin ist favorisiert, oder Die Lösung ist favorisiert.

Etymology and usage: Favorisieren is a loanword formed with the German suffix -isieren and derives from the English to favor, with influences from Romance languages in the broader history of German vocabulary. It has become common in modern German, especially in business, administration, politics, and media. In everyday language, bevorzugen is often used as a more neutral alternative. The corresponding noun is Favorisierung (the act or process of giving preference); Favorit or Favoritin denotes the favored person or thing. The term can carry connotations of bias or nepotism if used critically.

Usage notes: Because Favorisierung implies preferential treatment, its use can raise concerns about fairness in contexts such as hiring, procurement, or public decision making. In many situations, neutral formulations such as Bevorzugung or Priorisierung are preferred to avoid the sense of improper bias. Nonetheless, favorisiert remains a standard term for describing deliberate preference in both formal and semi-formal language.