French word

défavoriser

Pronunciation

IPA/defavoʁize/

Meaning

  • verbdisadvantage

Example

Le professeur défavorise les élèves en retard.

The teacher disadvantages students who are late.

Illustration for défavoriser (disadvantage)

More examples

La loi défavorise souvent les petits commerces.

The law often disadvantages small businesses.

Core concept

A person or thing placed behind others by unequal treatment or conditions.

Common phrases

  • défavoriser quelqu'un

    disadvantage someone

  • défavoriser un groupe

    disadvantage a group

Similar words

désavantager: To deprive someone of favorable conditions and leave them at a disadvantage.
pénaliser: To penalize someone by imposing a punishment or other unfavorable consequence.

Definition in French

Traiter une personne ou une chose de manière à lui donner un désavantage par rapport aux autres.

Word origin

Défavoriser combines dé- with favoriser, a verb ultimately derived from Latin favor, and expresses the withholding of favorable treatment.

Usage tips

  • Défavoriser takes a direct object, as in défavoriser les élèves, and has a formal tone; désavantager is a common alternative.

Other meanings

  • discriminate againstverb

Opposites

  • favoriserfavorverb
  • avantagergive an advantage toverb

Related words

  • défavorisédisadvantagedadjective
  • défavorisationdisadvantagingnoun

Word lists with this word