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.
WGA West confirmed employees who receive health coverage on a month-to-month basis are no longer eligible for it as of April 1.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
But Kosovo, able to call up eligible players born in other European countries such as Germany, Switzerland and Sweden, quickly improved.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
Mr. Woods, who turned 50 in December, is now eligible for PGA Tour Champions, the senior tour, and the pressure to do so for ratings must be significant.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
What’s more, about 61% of students receiving a Pell grant — money the government provides to low-income students to attend college — wouldn’t be eligible, the research found.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
Because players of master strength weren’t eligible to enter, the tournament encouraged the participation of weaker and less experienced players.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
