sortition

[sawr-tish-uh n]

noun

the casting or drawing of lots.

Origin of sortition

1590–1600; < Latin sortītiōn- (stem of sortītiō), equivalent to sortīt(us) (past participle of sortīrī to draw lots, derivative of sors lot, portion; see sort, -ite²) + -iōn- -ion

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for sortition

Contemporary Examples of sortition

Sortition rests on two rather unique properties of random sampling.
Is It Time to Take a Chance on Random Representatives?
Michael Schulson
November 8, 2014
First, sortition was the main system for choosing political officials in ancient Athens.
Is It Time to Take a Chance on Random Representatives?
Michael Schulson
November 8, 2014
Still, there are other places where, like trial juries, sortition make sense.
Is It Time to Take a Chance on Random Representatives?
Michael Schulson
November 8, 2014
Really, sortition strikes at the tension at the heart of elective representative democracy.
Is It Time to Take a Chance on Random Representatives?
Michael Schulson
November 8, 2014

Historical Examples of sortition

At what date was election by lot, or sortition, introduced for the archonship?
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 4
Various
The real effect of sortition was to equalize the chances of rich and poor without civil strife.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 2, Slice 4
Various

British Dictionary definitions for sortition

sortition

noun

the act of casting lots

Word Origin for sortition

C16: from Latin sortitio, from sortiri to cast lots

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012