elective

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   Of, or pertaining to voting or elections

   Of, or pertaining to voting or elections; involving a choice between options.

   • Man thus endued with an elective voice, Must be supplied with objects of his choice.
   • […] they rested their hopes of redress on the independent use of their elective franchise;
2. 2

   Open to choice

   Open to choice; freely chosen; (also, usually) unnecessary; minor.

   • After accounting for all of my required courses, there is hardly any room in my schedule for any elective ones.
3. 3

   Scheduled and nonemergent (regardless of whether necessary or unnecessary and whether…

   Scheduled and nonemergent (regardless of whether necessary or unnecessary and whether minor or serious).

   • It was very confusing hearing my cancer surgery being classified as "elective surgery". Am I "electing" to live rather than die?
4. ›+ 1 more definitionshow fewer

   1. 4

      Something that is an option or may be freely chosen, especially a course of study.

      • I still need to decide which electives to take along with my compulsory courses next semester.

The neighborhood

• neighborelect
• neighborelection