elect
- elect
- [15] To elect somebody is literally to
‘choose them out’ of a range of possibilities. The
word comes from ēlectus, the past participle of
Latin ēligere ‘pick out, select’. This was a
compound verb formed from the prefix ex- ‘out’
and legere ‘gather, choose’ (source also of
English collect, neglect, and select and, from its
secondary meaning ‘read’, legible and lecture).
The notion of ‘choosing by ballot’ is the oldest
of the verb’s senses in English.
A person who may be ‘elected’ or ‘chosen’ is
eligible [15] (an acquisition via French from the
late Latin derivative ēligibilis). And someone
who has been ‘picked out’ from the crowd is a
member of the élite [18] (a borrowing of the
feminine form of the past participle of French
élire ‘elect’). Also closely related is elegant.
=> COLLECT, ELEGANT, ELIGIBLE, ELITE, LECTURE,
LEGIBLE, NEGLECT, SELECT
The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins.
2013.
:
Look at other dictionaries:
Elect — • Denotes in general one chosen or taken by preference from among two or more; as a theological term it is equivalent to chosen as the object of mercy or Divine favour, as set apart for eternal life Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006.… … Catholic encyclopedia
Elect — E*lect , a. [L. electus, p. p. of eligere to elect; e out + legere to choose. See {Legend}, and cf. {Elite}, {Eclectic}.] 1. Chosen; taken by preference from among two or more. Colors quaint elect. Spenser. [1913 Webster] 2. (Theol.) Chosen as… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
elect — vt 1: to select by vote for an office, position, or membership 2: to make a selection of elect ed her statutory share over the gift under the will vi: to choose an elective share the right of a spouse to elect against the will … Law dictionary
elect — [ē lekt′, ilekt′] adj. [ME < L electus, pp. of eligere, to pick out, choose < e , out + legere, to pick, choose: see LOGIC] 1. chosen; given preference 2. elected but not yet installed in office: usually used in combination [the mayor… … English World dictionary
Elect — E*lect , n. 1. One chosen or set apart. [1913 Webster] Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth. Is. xlii. 1. [1913 Webster] 2. pl. (Theol.) Those who are chosen for salvation. [1913 Webster] Shall not God avenge… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Elect — E*lect , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Elected}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Electing}.] 1. To pick out; to select; to choose. [1913 Webster] The deputy elected by the Lord. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To select or take for an office; to select by vote; as, to elect a… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
-elect — suffix ► used after the title of an official job to refer to someone who has been chosen by vote to do that job, but who has not yet started doing it: »Mr Theroux is chairman elect of the Promotion Marketing Association. → Compare DESIGNATE(Cf.… … Financial and business terms
elect — adj picked, *select, exclusive Analogous words: *choice, exquisite, rare: selected, preferred, chosen, singled out (see CHOOSE): redeemed, saved, delivered (see RESCUE vb) Antonyms: reprobate (in theology) Contrasted words: rejected, repudiated,… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
elect — ► VERB 1) choose (someone) to hold public office or another position by voting. 2) opt for or choose to do something. ► ADJECTIVE 1) chosen or singled out. 2) elected to a position but not yet in office: the President Elect. DERIVATIVES electable … English terms dictionary
Elect — Elect., Abbreviatur auf Recepten: Electuarium … Pierer's Universal-Lexikon
ELECT — ELECT., сокращение лат. слова electua rium кашка, употребляемое в рецепте … Большая медицинская энциклопедия
