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praeferentia

Praeferentia is a Latin noun, feminine, of the first declension. It denotes a preference, priority, or favour granted to one thing over another, and can also refer to preeminence or advantage in a given context. The word derives from the verb praeferre, meaning to carry before or to put first.

Etymology and sense: Praeferentia comes from prae- (before) combined with ferre (to carry). The core sense is

Usage in classical and later Latin: In ancient texts, praeferentia appears in legal, rhetorical, and philosophical

Modern reception and cognates: Today praeferentia is mainly of historical linguistic interest. The English word preference

to
set
something
before
others,
i.e.,
to
prefer
or
grant
precedence.
In
classical
Latin,
the
term
appears
in
a
range
of
contexts
where
ranking,
priority,
or
favour
is
at
issue.
passages
to
express
the
notion
of
preferring
one
option,
person,
or
course
of
action
over
another.
In
scholastic
and
theological
Latin,
the
term
is
encountered
when
discussing
the
ranking
of
goods,
values,
or
obligations
and
the
criteria
by
which
choices
are
weighed.
is
directly
derived
from
it,
illustrating
the
term’s
lasting
influence.
Related
forms
occur
in
Romance
languages,
such
as
préférence
in
French,
preferenza
in
Italian,
and
preferencia
in
Spanish,
reflecting
the
same
root
meaning
of
choosing
or
prioritizing.