eligible
Americanadjective
-
fit or proper to be chosen; worthy of choice; desirable.
to marry an eligible bachelor.
- Antonyms:
- unacceptable, unsuitable, ineligible
-
meeting the stipulated requirements, as to participate, compete, or work; qualified.
-
legally qualified to be elected or appointed to office.
eligible for the presidency.
noun
adjective
-
fit, worthy, or qualified, as for an office or function
-
desirable and worthy of being chosen, esp as a spouse
an eligible young man
Other Word Forms
- eligibility noun
- eligibleness noun
- eligibly adverb
- noneligible adjective
Etymology
Origin of eligible
First recorded in 1555–65; from Middle French or directly from Late Latin ēligibilis, equivalent to Latin ē- “out of, from” + lig- (combining form of leg-, stem of legere “to choose, select”) + -bilis “capable of, susceptible of, tending to”; e- 1, -ible
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.
Starting March 17, around 2,500 Somalis will lose their work authorisations and legal status, making them eligible for deportation.
From BBC
More than a year ago, Johnson told employees that those who stay until the last day of the Apple program will be eligible for a lump-sum payment equal to their 2023 compensation.
Her posts have mentioned recruitment for an "elite international battalion" and made it clear that people in Russia illegally - including those whose visas have expired - are eligible.
From BBC
But the Floridian, who remains eligible for all four majors courtesy of his 2023 US PGA Championship victory, is clearly keen to rejoin the tour he dramatically left four years ago.
From BBC
Jamieson would have to serve two thirds of the sentence before being eligible to be released.
From BBC
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.
