Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

elective

/ɪˈlɛktɪv/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.32 in modern English

Syllables: elec-tive
IPA: /ɪˈlɛktɪv/

13

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

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

adj

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

adj

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

noun

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

Example Sentences

"1697, John Dryden, The Works of Virgil […] translated into English Verse, London: Jacob Tonson, dedicatory preface to the Marquess of Normanby, For his Conscience could not but whisper to the Arbitrary Monarch, that the Kings of Rome were at first Elective, and Govern’d not without a Senate:"
"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;"
"See the populace, millions upon millions, handsome, tall, muscular, both sexes, clothed in easy and dignified clothes―teaching, commanding, marrying, generating, equally electing and elective;"
"1896, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, “The South African Question” in Speeches and Writings of M. K. Gandhi, Madras: G.A. Natesan, 3rd edition, 1922, p. 6, [The bill] says that no natives of countries (not of European origin) which have not hitherto possessed elective representative institutions […] shall be placed on the voters roll […]"
"After accounting for all of my required courses, there is hardly any room in my schedule for any elective ones."

Etymology

Etymology tree English elect Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf English -ive English elective From elect + -ive.

Inflected Forms

more elective (comparative) most elective (superlative) electives (plural)

Derived Forms

electively electiveness electivity nonelective stereoelective

Phrases

elective affinity elective mutism elective share self-elective

Frequently Paired Words

elect election

Synonyms

electoral discretionary optional voluntary elected facultative elective course

Antonyms

appointive hereditary compulsory mandatory obligatory required involuntary emergent unscheduled

Rhymes With

effective perspective objective collective detective respective protective selective prospective subjective directive ineffective

Questions

How do you pronounce elective?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɪˈlɛktɪv/.
What does elective mean?: Of, or pertaining to voting or elections; involving a choice between options.
Where does elective come from?: Etymology tree English elect Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf English -ive English elective From elect + -ive.

How to pronounce elective

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