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• elect
  elect

  verb (used with object)

  to choose or select by vote, as for an office.
• elect.
  elect.

  abbreviation

  electric.

elect

¹ American  

[ih-lekt] / ɪˈlɛkt /

verb (used with object)

• elects,
  present (3rd person singular)
• elected,
  past participle,  past
• electing
  present participle

1. to choose or select by vote, as for an office.

   to elect a mayor.

2. to determine in favor of (a method, course of action, etc.).

3. to pick out; choose.

   First-year students may elect French, Spanish, or German.

4. Theology. (of God) to select for divine mercy or favor, especially for salvation.

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verb (used without object)

• elects,
  present (3rd person singular)
• elected,
  past participle,  past
• electing
  present participle

1. to choose or select someone or something, as by voting.

adjective

1. selected, as for an office, but not yet inducted (usually used in combination following a noun).

   the governor-elect.

2. select or choice.

   an elect circle of artists.

3. Theology. chosen by God, especially for eternal life.

noun

1. a person or the persons chosen or worthy to be chosen.

2. Theology. a person or persons chosen by God, especially for favor or salvation.

elect. ² American  

Or elec

abbreviation

1. electric.

2. electrical.

3. electrician.

4. electricity.

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elect British  

/ ɪˈlɛkt /

verb

1. (tr) to choose (someone) to be (a representative or a public official) by voting

   they elected him Mayor

2. to select; choose

   to elect to die rather than surrender

3. (tr) (of God) to select or predestine for the grace of salvation

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adjective

1. (immediately postpositive) voted into office but not yet installed

   the president elect

2. 1. chosen or choice; selected or elite

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the elect

3. Christianity

   1. selected or predestined by God to receive salvation; chosen

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the elect

Synonym Usage

See choose.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• electability
  noun
• electee
  noun
• nonelect
  noun
• preelect
  verb (used with object)
• reelect
  verb (used with object)
• electable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• electing
  present
• elected
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• elect
  simple
• elects
  simple
• have elected
  perfect
• has elected
  perfect
• am electing
  progressive
• are electing
  progressive
• is electing
  progressive
• have been electing
  perfect progressive
• has been electing
  perfect progressive

Past

• elected
  simple
• had elected
  perfect
• was electing
  progressive
• were electing
  progressive
• had been electing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will elect
  simple
• will have elected
  perfect
• will be electing
  progressive
• will have been electing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of elect

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

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

elect elect. elects elected electing

Zambians will also elect an expanded parliament, with directly elected members of parliament rising to 226 from 156.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

A list of the many Democrats he helped elect — among them Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer — reads like a scroll of modern California history.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

Each county would elect a certain number of delegates, depending on its size and support for Democratic candidates.

From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026

"I believe in the democratic tradition of electing local authorities and for those authorities to be accountable to the people that elect them," he added.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

At last the lords agreed, though with much ill will, to elect Claudius as king.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

“Listen to me. Please don’t forget, laws don’t just happen to you. Laws are made and they’re made by the people you elect. So you have a voice, exercise it.”

From Washington Times ● Apr. 7, 2016

In fact, for 36 of the last 44 years, City Hall has been occupied by four men whom Mr. Garth helped elect. is the fourth.

From New York Times ● Jun. 2, 2010

Spenser. dim. diminutive. opp. opposed. subj. subjunctive. dub. doubtful. opt. optics. suff. suffix. eccles. ecclesiastical history. orig. originally. superl. superlative. e.g. for example. ornith. ornithology. surg. surgery. elect. electricity.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) by Various

Each Texas county elects its own slate of local officials, which is why state law requires voters to register where they live.

From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026

He also chaired the committee that elects McKinsey’s senior partners.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

Councillor Martin Murray has been appointed interim leader of the Reform group at Staffordshire County Council, until the group elects a new permanent leader.

From BBC ● Dec. 5, 2025

It led Latham to predict that "it will be no different" to previous Tests at the venue where the team that wins the toss elects to bowl first.

From Barron's ● Dec. 1, 2025

“It is incredible, Monsieur. All the world elects to travel tonight!”

From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie

Pearson says Colossus I, the name of SpaceXAI boss Elon Musk's first mega AI supercomputer facility is "a textbook case of what it looks like when elected officials make promises about economic mobility."

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

A steady, if inconspicuous, presence in California Democratic politics over the years, Becerra is largely perceived as a risk-averse candidate who would continue the status quo if he is elected.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026

In the same way that the reason why you’re seeing larger numbers of elected officials talk about regulating data centers is because they are reading the public temperature.

From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026

"Residents, public agencies, and elected officials have repeatedly sought timely information regarding the cleanup, remediation, environmental monitoring, and recovery," Bass wrote in the letter to Lineage shareholders.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

“Can you believe the Afghan opposition groups actually met in Bonn, Germany, and elected a Pukhtun?” said Uncle Amin as he returned.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

Their analysis found that every method for electing a national legislature involves compromises, usually among local representation, national proportionality, and the total number of parliamentary seats.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026

"I believe in the democratic tradition of electing local authorities and for those authorities to be accountable to the people that elect them," he added.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

The endorsement may come with some financial support, with the group saying it has raised some $25 million to fund its goal of electing more doctors and nurses to office between now and 2030.

From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026

In her video, Michelle Bolsonaro recalled how she had built up the women's wing "from scratch", electing over a thousand female leaders, and helping "reduce rejection" of some male candidates.

From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026

Also in 1915, blacks played a decisive role in electing the mayor, Republican William Thompson.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

Related Words

• accept
• admit
• appoint
• conclude
• designate
• determine
• name
• nominate
• pick
• receive
• resolve
• take
• vote
• vote for