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

Derived Forms

• seˈlectively, adverb
• seˈlectiveness, noun

Other Words From

• se·lective·ly adverb
• se·lective·ness noun
• nonse·lective adjective
• unse·lective adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of selective¹

First recorded in 1615–25; select + -ive

Example Sentences

Along with his power surge, and perhaps contributing to it, Tatís has also become more selective about the pitches he swings at.

From FiveThirtyEight

Van Eenennaam credits this boost in productivity to conventional selective breeding.

From Singularity Hub 

Interestingly, “fusion’s effect on selective censoring occurred regardless of whether the incongruent comments used offensive language.”

From Nautilus

Since then, SDPD has said it would be selective about when it tapped into the cameras.

From Voice of San Diego

That’s due largely to selective breeding and other technologies.

From Freakonomics

Liberals are outraged over the Steven Scalise scandal—but the left has selective amnesia.

From The Daily Beast

Based on our conversation, he decided to do more research and apply to at least one small selective college.

From The Daily Beast

Justice should not be selective to fit a political narrative when the facts and evidence prove otherwise.

From The Daily Beast

But a drug like lamotrigine is not selective, and so it also affects the behavior of the rest of the temporal lobe.

From The Daily Beast

Whether or not guayusa is a product of selective breeding, the Kichwa have learned to harness its power.

From The Daily Beast

But death—the taking of life—was a selective process, intentionally executed, the result a foreseen conclusion.

From Project Gutenberg

I'm opposed to dictators, myself; that—and the Selective Service law, of course—was why I was a soldier.

From Project Gutenberg

And this selective desire is none other than the universal Law of Attraction.

From Project Gutenberg

All I wish to say here is that the necessity of some selective process is inherent in the conditions of social life.

From Project Gutenberg

Seines are species-selective, due partly to the preference of certain fishes for special habitat niches.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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