elect

English Online Dictionary. What means elect‎? What does elect mean?

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin ēlēctus, past participle of ēligō (“to pick out, choose, elect”), from ē- (“out”) + legō (“to pick out, pick, gather, collect, etc.”); see legend.

Cognate to eclectic, which is via Ancient Greek rather than Latin, hence prefix ἐκ (ek), rather than e- (from ex).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪˈlɛkt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪˈlɛkt/, /i-/, /ə-/
• Rhymes: -ɛkt

Noun

elect (plural elects or elect)

1. One chosen or set apart.
2. (theology) In Calvinist theology, one foreordained to Heaven. In other Christian theologies, someone chosen by God for salvation.

Antonyms

• reprobate

Derived terms

• president-elect

Translations

Verb

elect (third-person singular simple present elects, present participle electing, simple past and past participle elected)

1. (transitive) To choose or make a decision (to do something)
2. (transitive) To choose (a candidate) in an election

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Adjective

elect (not comparable)

1. (postpositive) Who has been elected in a specified post, but has not yet entered office.
2. Chosen; taken by preference from among two or more.

Usage notes

When denoting someone who has been elected but not yet entered office, the title is usually hyphenated (e.g. president-elect, senator-elect, representative-elect, mayor-elect, etc.). The plural forms are created by pluralizing the office (e.g. presidents-elect, senators-elect, representatives-elect, mayors-elect, etc.).

Translations

Further reading

• “elect”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “elect”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.