selective

[si-lek-tiv]

adjective

1. having the function or power of selecting; making a selection.

2. characterized by selection, especially fastidious selection.

   Synonyms: discerning, particular, discriminating

3. of or relating to selection.

4. Electricity, Radio.,  having good selectivity.

selective

/ sɪˈlɛktɪv /

adjective

1. of or characterized by selection

2. tending to choose carefully or characterized by careful choice

3. electronics occurring at, operating at, or capable of separating out a particular frequency or band of frequencies

Other Word Forms

• selectively adverb
• selectiveness noun
• nonselective adjective
• unselective adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of selective¹

First recorded in 1615–25; select + -ive

Example Sentences

Macron’s military service will be selective, picking recruits based on its operational needs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Overall: Aligned with a positive macro regime with selective, income-seeking markets thanks to low volatility and improving technicals—but fundamental cleanup remains the gating factor for sustained rerating.

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The results showed that those guided by the personalized algorithm viewed fewer features overall and did so in a patterned, selective manner.

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“But moderate-income consumers are pulling back and middle–income consumers are being very selective.”

Read more on MarketWatch

The main takeaways are that Americans are selective in their spending and are prioritizing value as concerns over inflation and affordability mount among lower- and middle-income consumers.

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Related Words

• careful 
• choosy 
• discriminatory 
• fussy 
• judicious 
• scrupulous