Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

favor

/ˈfeɪ.vɚ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.58 in modern English

Syllables
fa-vor
IPA
/ˈfeɪ.vɚ/
11
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A kind or helpful deed; an instance of voluntarily assisting (someone).

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Goodwill; benevolent regard.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A small gift; a party favor.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The object of regard; person or thing favoured.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Appearance; look; countenance; face.

Countable; Obsolete; Uncountable

noun

Partiality; bias

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A letter, a written communication.

Archaic; Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin faveō Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *-ōs Proto-Italic *-ōs Latin -or Latin favor Old French favorbor. Middle English favour English favor From Middle English favour, favor, faver, from Anglo-Norman favour, from mainland Old French favor, from Latin favor (“good will; kindness; partiality”), from faveō (“to be kind to”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂weh₁yeti (“to be favourable to”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂- (“to shine, glow light”). Respelled in American English to more closely match its Latin etymon. Compare also Danish favør (“favor”), Irish fabhar (“favor”), from the same Romance source.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈfeɪ.vɚ/
  • British English: /ˈfeɪ.və/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Synonyms

Antonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce favor?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfeɪ.vɚ/.
What does favor mean?
A kind or helpful deed; an instance of voluntarily assisting (someone).
Where does favor come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce favor

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “favor”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈfeɪ.vɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “favor”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “favor” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.