preferential — English Dictionary

Adjective

1. Of or relating to the showing or giving of preference.

   Examples

   Club members received preferential seating.

   preferential treatment

2. Of or relating to a voting system in which the voters are allowed to indicate on their ballots their preference (usually their first and second choices) between two or more candidates, so that if no candidate receives a majority of first choices the one receiving the greatest number of first and second choices together is the winner.

   Examples

   preferential voting; the preferential system

Adjective

1. manifesting partiality

   Synonyms

   discriminatory

   Examples

   a discriminatory tax

   preferential tariff rates

   More examples (2)

   preferential treatment

   a preferential shop gives priority or advantage to union members in hiring or promoting