select

1 of 3

adjective

se·​lect sə-ˈlekt 

1

: chosen from a number or group by fitness or preference

2

a

: of special value or excellence : superior, choice

b

: exclusively or fastidiously chosen often with regard to social, economic, or cultural characteristics

3

: judicious or restrictive in choice : discriminating

pleased with the select appreciation of his books

—Osbert Sitwell

selectable

sə-ˈlek-tə-bəl 

adjective

selectness

sə-ˈlek(t)-nəs 

noun

selector

sə-ˈlek-tər 

noun

select

2 of 3

verb

selected; selecting; selects

transitive verb

: to choose (as by fitness or excellence) from a number or group : pick out

intransitive verb

: to make a choice

select

3 of 3

noun

: one that is select

—often used in plural

Synonyms

Adjective

• selected
• preferred
• favorite

Verb

• choose
• pick

Examples of select in a Sentence

Adjective

Only a few select employees attended the meeting.

A select committee was formed to plan the project.

The group was small and select.

A select number of people are invited.

Only a select few will be accepted into the program.

He only drinks select wines.

Verb

Please select one item from the list.

The school will only select 12 applicants for enrollment.

Knowing the importance of making the right choice, he selected carefully.

Select “Insert” from the “Edit” menu.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In a filing on Friday, the nearly-defunct federal body sought summary judgment in NPR’s lawsuit against the organization over its decision to appropriate funding for satellite distribution to a select group of NPR member stations before the CPB ceases operations. —Max Tani, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2025

Users in select states (MI, NJ, PA and WV) will be eligible to claim the $150 bonus offer. —Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025

Verb

Bearzot didn’t select a replacement for Antognoni, instead playing both Gentile and Bergomi and switching to a system featuring five defenders in front of 40-year-old goalkeeper Dino Zoff, the side’s captain. —Michael Cox, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025

However, selecting an optimal material for the transducer has proven difficult, as different candidates vary widely in electrical performance, surface characteristics, and long-term stability. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025

Noun

However, the ad selects and splices certain lines from the five-minute address rather than playing the remarks in the order they were delivered or reproducing the speech in its entirety. —Michael Collins, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025

Owner Konstantinos Karakasilis, who once ran his own butcher shop, hand-selects every cut, relying on relationships built over 30 years. —Katherine Whittaker, Saveur, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin selectus, past participle of seligere to select, from se- apart (from sed, se without) + legere to gather, select — more at suicide, legend

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1566, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1610, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing select

• self-select

Rhymes for select

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

Kids Definition

select

1 of 2 verb

se·​lect sə-ˈlekt 

1

: to pick out from a number or group : choose

2

: to choose (a particular action or a section of text on a computer screen) especially using a mouse

select

2 of 2 adjective

1

: chosen from a number or group to include the best or most suitable individuals

invited only a few select employees

2

: of special value or excellence : superior, choice

a select hotel

Medical Definition

select

intransitive verb

se·​lect sə-ˈlekt 

: to cause a specified gene, trait, or organism to become more frequent or less frequent

—usually used with for or against

animal breeders need to select simultaneously for improved conformity to breed characteristics and against defective genes causing disease