What is the Latin word for favoritism?

The usual Latin words for “favoritism” are ambitiō, queror, sum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“favoritism” in Latin

ambitiōA going around or about; that which surrounds.; A desire for one's favor or good will; excessive desire to please, flatt querorto complain, lament, bewail; to be indignant sumto be, exist; there be; to go

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

favoritism

sometimes ambitio (the wish to obtain anybody’s favoritism). By circumlocution. To complain of favoritism, queri, quod aliquid per ambitionem factum (or non) factum sit or esset (☞ Liv. 3, 47).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for favoritism?: The usual Latin words for “favoritism” are ambitiō, queror, sum. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.