elect

1 of 2

noun

plural elect

1

: one chosen or set apart (as by divine favor)

2

elects plural : a select or exclusive group of people

elect

2 of 2

verb

elected; electing; elects

transitive verb

1

: to select by vote for an office, position, or membership

elected her class president

2

: to make a selection of

will elect an academic program

3

: to choose (something, such as a course of action) especially by preference

might elect to sell the business

intransitive verb

: to make a selection

Synonyms of elect

Noun

• best
• aristocracy
• elite
• priesthood
• choice
• society
• top
• pick
• upper crust

Verb

• choose
• select
• pick

Examples of elect in a Sentence

Noun

the members of this all-American team are the elect of collegiate football

Verb

He hopes to be elected to the committee.

I've elected to study French as my foreign language.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Inter took the Serie A title last night, having been champions-elect for weeks. —Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 May 2026

Obama’s staff would look less amused a few weeks later, as their boss hosted President-elect Trump at the White House. —W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 25 Apr. 2026

Verb

The country elected its first female prime minister just last year, and women currently make up less than 15% of the House of Representatives, according to IPU Parline, which tracks global data on national parliaments. —Yumi Asada, CNN Money, 7 June 2026

Armenia’s Parliament, the National Assembly, must consist of at least 101 members who are elected for five-year terms. —ABC News, 7 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Latin electus

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing elect

• president-elect

Rhymes for elect

• affect
• aspect
• bedecked
• bisect
• collect
• connect
• correct
• deflect
• detect
• direct
• dissect
• effect

Kids Definition

elect

1 of 3 adjective

i-ˈlekt 

1

: carefully selected

2

: chosen for office but not yet holding office

president-elect

elect

2 of 3 plural noun

: a carefully chosen group

—used with the

elect

3 of 3 verb

1

: to select by vote for an office, position, or membership

elect a senator

2

: select entry 1, choose

we elected to stay home

Legal Definition

elect

transitive verb

1

: to select by vote for an office, position, or membership

2

: to make a selection of

elected her statutory share over the gift under the will

intransitive verb

: to choose an elective share

the right of a spouse to elect against the will