elective

[ ih-lek-tiv ]

/ ɪˈlɛk tɪv /

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See synonyms for elective on Thesaurus.com

adjective

pertaining to the principle of electing to an office, position, etc.

chosen by election, as an official.

bestowed by or derived from election, as an office.

having the power or right of electing to office, as a body of persons.

open to choice; optional; not required: an elective subject in college; elective surgery.

Chemistry. selecting for combination or action; tending to combine with certain substances in preference to others: elective attraction.

noun

an optional study; a course that a student may select from among alternatives.

OTHER WORDS FOR elective

5 voluntary, discretionary.

See synonyms for elective on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR elective

5 required, obligatory, necessary.

See antonyms for elective on Thesaurus.com

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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

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Origin of elective

1520–30; <Medieval Latin ēlēctīvus, equivalent to Latin ēlēct(us) (see elect) + -īvus-ive

OTHER WORDS FROM elective

e·lec·tive·ly, adverbe·lec·tive·ness, nounnon·e·lec·tive, adjective, nounnon·e·lec·tive·ly, adverb

non·e·lec·tive·ness, nounpre·e·lec·tive, adjectiveun·e·lec·tive, adjective

Words nearby elective

election, election cake, Election Day, election district, electioneer, elective, elective mutism, elector, electoral, electoral college, electoral vote

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use elective in a sentence

Ballad Health, whose 21 hospitals serve that region, temporarily stopped all elective surgeries and set up mobile morgues.
900,000 infected. Nearly 15,000 dead. How the coronavirus tore through D.C., Maryland and Virginia.|Rebecca Tan, Antonio Olivo, John D. Harden|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
Funding from Congress has provided some relief for hospital systems across the country, but many are losing money as a result of halting elective surgeries.
The pandemic’s lasting effects on young medical workers|Terry Nguyen|February 1, 2021|Vox
Clinical trials and elective procedures for other conditions have been put on hold.
COVID-19 vaccines could end the pandemic by eliminating severe cases|Kate Baggaley|January 29, 2021|Popular-Science
Typically, the most profitable services hospitals offer are elective procedures, such as hip replacements or knee surgeries.
Covid-19 could teach US hospitals some lessons, if they’re willing to listen|Annalisa Merelli|January 28, 2021|Quartz

Youngkin, 54, who in September retired as co-chief executive of the Washington private equity giant Carlyle Group, has never held elective office.
Former Carlyle executive Glenn Youngkin joins race for Virginia governor|Laura Vozzella|January 27, 2021|Washington Post
Not hard to imagine what drives this number – money, the ever swelling lubricant of elective office.
Beer Countries vs. Wine Countries|Clive Irving|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He has since put in place penalties for hospitals and surgeons that perform elective cesareans.
Allah, Mom, and Baklava: Turkish President Uses Mothers and Kids as Political Pawns|Xanthe Ackerman|November 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Really, sortition strikes at the tension at the heart of elective representative democracy.
Is It Time to Take a Chance on Random Representatives?|Michael Schulson|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the O.R. has actually seen a huge decrease in elective surgeries.
Dallas: A Journal of the Plague City|Pete Freedman|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is not elective, it is not fun, and it certainly is not funny.
From Britney to Bynes, Why Do We Love Watching Mentally Ill Celebs?|Molly Oswaks|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And of the world of to-day, be it remembered, elective democratic control covers only a part of the field.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
If the wages are graded according to capacity, then the grading is done by the everlasting elective officials.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
Since the house would not make the legislative council elective, he proposed to abolish it altogether.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III.|E. Farr and E. H. Nolan
At a later date they were nominated by the Wardens, though in earlier times probably elective.
The Influence and Development of English Gilds|Francis Aiden Hibbert
Well, now, seigneur Councilman, august elective magistrate of the illustrious Commune of Laon!
The Pilgrim's Shell or Fergan the Quarryman|Eugne Sue

British Dictionary definitions for elective

elective

/ (ɪˈlɛktɪv) /

adjective

of or based on selection by voteelective procedure

selected by votean elective official

having the power to elect

open to choice; optionalan elective course of study

noun

an optional course or hospital placement undertaken by a medical student

Derived forms of elective

electively, adverbelectivity (ˌiːlɛkˈtɪvɪtɪ) or electiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

elective

OTHER WORDS FOR elective

OPPOSITES FOR elective

Origin of elective

OTHER WORDS FROM elective

Words nearby elective

Words related to elective

How to use elective in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for elective

Derived forms of elective