Word Study
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elective
| elective course
| elective surgery
| electively
| elector
| electoral
elective
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun elective has 1 sense
- elective(n = noun.act) elective course - a course that the student can select from among alternatives; Array is a kind of class, course, course of instruction, course of study
Adjective elective has 2 senses
- elective(a = adj.all) elected - subject to popular election; "elective official" Antonym: appointive
- elective(s = adj.all) Array - not compulsory; "elective surgery"; "an elective course of study" Derived form verb elect2
Derived form verb elect1
CIDE DICTIONARY
elective, a. [Cf. F. électif.].
- Exerting the power of choice; selecting; as, an elective act. [1913 Webster]
- Pertaining to, or consisting in, choice, or right of choosing; electoral. [1913 Webster]"The independent use of their elective franchise." [1913 Webster]
- Bestowed or passing by election; as, an elective office. [1913 Webster]"Kings of Rome were at first elective; . . . for such are the conditions of an elective kingdom." [1913 Webster]
- Dependent on choice; that can be refused; as, an elective college course. Opposite of
required ormandatory . [1913 Webster]
elective, n.
In an American college, an optional study or course of study; a course that is not required. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
elective, adj. & n.
--adj.
1 a (of an office or its holder) filled or appointed by election. b (of authority) derived from election.
2 (of a body) having the power to elect.
3 having a tendency to act on or be concerned with some things rather than others (elective affinity).
4 (of a course of study) chosen by the student; optional.
5 (of a surgical operation etc.) optional; not urgently necessary.
--n. US an elective course of study.
--adj.
1 a (of an office or its holder) filled or appointed by election. b (of authority) derived from election.
2 (of a body) having the power to elect.
3 having a tendency to act on or be concerned with some things rather than others (elective affinity).
4 (of a course of study) chosen by the student; optional.
5 (of a surgical operation etc.) optional; not urgently necessary.
--n. US an elective course of study.
Derivative
electively adv.
Etymology
F {eacute}lectif -ive f. LL electivus (as ELECT)
THESAURUS
elective
academic specialty, adoptive, alternative, appointive, arbitrary, area, autonomous, choosing, choosy, classical education, constituent, core curriculum, course, course of study, curriculum, discipline, discretional, discretionary, discriminating, disjunctive, eclectic, electoral, field, free, free will, general education, general studies, gratuitous, humanities, independent, liberal arts, major, minor, nonmandatory, offered, optional, particular, proffered, proseminar, quadrivium, refresher course, scientific education, selecting, selective, self-acting, self-active, self-determined, self-determining, seminar, specialty, spontaneous, study, subdiscipline, subject, technical education, trivium, unasked, unbesought, unbidden, uncalled-for, uncoerced, uncompelled, unforced, uninfluenced, uninvited, unpressured, unprompted, unrequested, unrequired, unsolicited, unsought, volitional, voluntary, volunteer, willful
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