Preferred or treated with special kindness; British spelling of 'favored.'
From Old French 'favorer,' derived from Latin 'favor' meaning 'to show kindness.' The word originally meant something done as a courtesy or gift, then evolved to describe being treated specially.
The British spelling 'favoured' with the 'u' actually preserves the word's French-Latin roots better than the American version, making it a linguistic time capsule of Norman influence on English after 1066!
Favoritism in education, hiring, and inheritance historically skewed toward sons and male relatives; women's equal qualifications overlooked in preference systems.
When discussing merit and selection, audit for gender bias in favoritism; ensure criteria are transparent and applied equally.
Women's historical exclusion from favor/patronage systems (mentorship, networks, family advantage) perpetuated talent gaps; recognize systemic, not individual, causes.
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