elective
Americanadjective
-
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.
- Synonyms:
- discretionary, voluntary
- Antonyms:
- necessary, obligatory
-
Chemistry. selecting for combination or action; tending to combine with certain substances in preference to others.
elective attraction.
noun
adjective
-
of or based on selection by vote
elective procedure
-
selected by vote
an elective official
-
having the power to elect
-
open to choice; optional
an elective course of study
noun
Other Word Forms
- electively adverb
- electiveness noun
- electivity noun
- nonelective adjective
- nonelectively adverb
- nonelectiveness noun
- preelective adjective
- unelective adjective
Etymology
Origin of elective
1520–30; < Medieval Latin ēlēctīvus, equivalent to Latin ēlēct ( us ) ( elect ) + -īvus -ive
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
All hospitals and “nearly all” medical offices would remain open, Applin-Jones said; some appointments may be shifted from in-person to virtual, while some elective surgeries and procedures may need to be rescheduled.
From Los Angeles Times
She thought they were getting on well but, after Martina said she was having an elective C-section, the woman stopped responding to her messages.
From BBC
As a result of declaring the critical incident, the trust will now rearrange some elective procedures to create capacity for the sickest patients.
From BBC
Many states also provide a surviving spouse with a minimum “elective” share — that is, the right to take a share of a deceased spouse’s property.
From MarketWatch
Other members remain ambitious for elective office and decide to use their position in Congress as a springboard for another position.
From Salon
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.
