Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Favoritism \Fa"vor*it*ism\, n. [Cf. F. favoritisme.]
   The disposition to favor and promote the interest of one
   person or family, or of one class of men, to the neglect of
   others having equal claims; partiality.

         A spirit of favoritism to the Bank of the United
         States.                                  --A. Hamilton.

Source : WordNet®

favoritism
     n 1: an inclination to favor some person or group [syn: {favouritism}]
     2: unfair treatment of a person or group on the basis of
        prejudice [syn: {discrimination}, {favouritism}]