elect

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɪˈlɛkt/ UK /ɪˈlɛkt/ See IPA manual

Freq #15218

Meanings

1

verb
To choose someone for a position by voting.

The country elected a new president last year.
2

verb
To choose to do something.

She elected to study abroad for a year.
3

adj
Already chosen for a position but not yet officially started.

The president elect will take office in January.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Opposites

reprobate

Word family

Forms electedelectingelects

Derived forms electabilityelectableelecteeelectocracyelectornonelectnonelectednonelectingpreelectpresident-electreelectself-elect

Related forms election elective elegant eligible elite select selection selective

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Simplified etymology

Elect ultimately comes from Latin eligere “to choose or select.” It entered English in the late Middle Ages and shares this origin with elegant, eligible, and elite.

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).

*leǵ- Proto-Indo-European ēlēctus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# elect

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, adj
**IPA (US):** /ɪˈlɛkt/
**IPA (UK):** /ɪˈlɛkt/
**Frequency rank:** 15218

## Meanings
1. To choose someone for a position by voting.
2. To choose to do something.
3. Already chosen for a position but not yet officially started.

## Examples
- The country elected a new president last year.
- She elected to study abroad for a year.
- The president elect will take office in January.

## Antonyms
- reprobate

## Derived Forms
- electability
- electable
- electee
- electocracy
- elector
- nonelect
- nonelected
- nonelecting
- preelect
- president-elect
- reelect
- self-elect

## Related Forms
- election
- elective
- elegant
- eligible
- elite
- select
- selection
- selective

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *leǵ-
- Root: ēlēctus

## 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).

## AI Etymology
Elect is 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). In current use, the main senses are “To choose someone for a position by voting” and “To choose to do something”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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