Favour
/ˈfeɪ.vər/noun
Approval, support, or a kind act shown to someone; also, to prefer or treat with special regard.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin *favere*, meaning “to show kindness” or “to be favorable,” and in Roman religion it could imply giving a god a favorable silence or attitude before ritual action.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰeh₁-
“to set, place, put”
Latin
Latin
favēre
“to show kindness, be favorable, favor; in ritual contexts, to keep silent and propitious”
Late Latin
Latin
favor
“goodwill, support, partiality”
Old French
Old French
faveur
“favor, kindness, grace, support”
Middle English
English
favour
“favor, kindness, goodwill”