Meaning of the word "rather than" in English

What does "rather than" mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

rather than

US /ˈræð.ər ðæn/
UK /ˈrɑː.ðər ðæn/

Conjunction

instead of; in preference to

Example:
We decided to go to the beach rather than the mountains.
She chose to study art rather than science.