elective

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: e=lec=tive

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 or mandatory.  [1913 Webster]

Elective affinity or Elective attraction (Chem.), a tendency to unite with certain things; chemism.

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.

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