selection

[si-lek-shuhn]

noun

1. an act or instance of selecting or the state of being selected; choice.

   Antonyms: rejection

2. a thing or a number of things selected.

   Synonyms: pick, gathering, collection

3. an aggregate of things displayed for choice, purchase, use, etc.; a group from which a choice may be made.

   The store had a wide selection of bracelets.

4. Biology.,  any natural or artificial process that results in differential reproduction among the members of a population so that the inheritable traits of only certain individuals are passed on, or are passed on in greater proportion, to succeeding generations.

5. Linguistics.

   1. the choice of one form instead of another in a position where either can occur, as of ask instead of tell or with in the phrase ask me.

   2. the choice of one semantic or syntactic class of words in a construction, to the exclusion of others that do not occur there, as the choice of an animate object for the verb surprise.

selection

/ sɪˈlɛkʃən /

noun

1. the act or an instance of selecting or the state of being selected

2. a thing or number of things that have been selected

3. a range from which something may be selected

   this shop has a good selection of clothes

4. biology the natural or artificial process by which certain organisms or characters are reproduced and perpetuated in the species in preference to others See also natural selection

5. a contestant in a race chosen as likely to win or come second or third

6. 1. the act of free-selecting

   2. a tract of land acquired by free-selection

Other Word Forms

• selectional adjective
• nonselection noun
• reselection noun
• superselection noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of selection¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin sēlēctiōn-, stem of sēlēctiō; equivalent to select + -ion

Example Sentences

At the age of 32, and having withdrawn from Euro 2025 selection, her decision does not come as a surprise, though it will be an emotional farewell to her England career.

Read more on BBC

But like the Nobels in chemistry and physics, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences chooses the winner and follows the same selection process.

Read more on Barron's

It’s a quality that’s reflected in her eclectic style, busy travel schedule, Virgil Normal’s constantly changing selection and even the common feeling she gets when she’s sick of all of her clothes.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Here are a selection of images from throughout the day.

Read more on BBC

“We set him up with a heated tent, a selection of sandwiches and nibbles and some excellent beverages, and then he attended a board meeting remotely,” McCallum says.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• choice 
• collection 
• draft 
• election 
• excerpt 
• option 
• pick