selective

se·lec·tive

adj \sə-ˈlek-tiv\

Definition of SELECTIVE

1

: of, relating to, or characterized by selection : selecting or tending to select

2

: highly specific in activity or effect <selective pesticides> <selective absorption>

— se·lec·tive·ly adverb

— se·lec·tive·ness noun

— se·lec·tiv·i·ty \sə-ˌlek-ˈti-və-tē, ˌsē-\ noun

Examples of SELECTIVE

1. The club is selective in choosing members.
2. The college has a highly selective admissions process.

First Known Use of SELECTIVE

1625

Related to SELECTIVE

Synonyms: choosy (or choosey), particular, picky

Antonyms: nonselective, unselective

Related Words: nice; fastidious, finical, finicking, finicky, fussy; discerning, discriminating, judicious

Near Antonyms: indiscriminate, indiscriminating

[+]more[-]hide

Rhymes with SELECTIVE

advective, affective, bijective, collective, connective, convective, corrective, defective, deflective, detective, directive, effective, elective, ejective, infective, inflective, injective, invective, objective, perfective, perspective, projective, protective, reflective, respective, subjective