to choose or select by vote, as for an office.
to elect a mayor.
to determine in favor of (a method, course of action, etc.).
to pick out; choose.
First-year students may elect French, Spanish, or German.
Theology. (of God) to select for divine mercy or favor, especially for salvation.
selected, as for an office, but not yet inducted (usually used in combination following a noun).
the governor-elect.
select or choice.
an elect circle of artists.
Theology. chosen by God, especially for eternal life.
a person or the persons chosen or worthy to be chosen.
Theology. a person or persons chosen by God, especially for favor or salvation.
electric.
electrical.
electrician.
electricity.
(tr) to choose (someone) to be (a representative or a public official) by voting
they elected him Mayor
to select; choose
to elect to die rather than surrender
(tr) (of God) to select or predestine for the grace of salvation
(immediately postpositive) voted into office but not yet installed
the president elect
chosen or choice; selected or elite
( as collective noun; preceded by the )
the elect
Christianity
selected or predestined by God to receive salvation; chosen
( as collective noun; preceded by the )
the elect
See choose.
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Latin ēlēctus “chosen” (past participle of ēligere ), equivalent to ē- “out of, from” + leg- “choose” + -tus past participle suffix; see e- 1, elite
To elect is to choose. A group of citizens may elect the next president, or you may just elect to stay home during the blizzard. Most famously, in the political sense, elect means to choose a person for public office, usually via an election. It also means to choose a particular course in life of major consequence. You probably don't elect to drink Pepsi over Coke, but you do elect to study a particular major at college, or sign up for military service.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For the first time since the Great Depression, the state could elect a governor with facial hair.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
And the VRA requires that racial minorities be given an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice.
From Slate • May 26, 2026
Companies can elect to pass on to consumers the higher shipping and energy costs, but they also risk losing customers.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
MSs will need to elect the presiding officer in a secret ballot, before they select a new first minister.
From BBC • May 9, 2026
Because we elect people to vote for us.
From "Feed" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
