selective

adjective se·lec·tive \ sə-ˈlek-tiv \

Updated on: 26 Apr 2018

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

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selectively

adverb

—

selectiveness

noun

—

selectivity

play \sə-ˌlek-ˈti-və-tē, ˌsē-\ noun

See selective defined for English-language learners

See selective defined for kids

Examples of selective in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of selective from the Web

These homes can take from a few weeks to a couple of months to sell, giving buyers the time to be selective and discriminating.

— carpenter realtors, Indianapolis Star, "Must-have features that will help your home sell at every level," 23 Apr. 2018
But while users wait for Apple to architect long-term solutions, their best defense is to become discerning and extremely selective about doling out trust.

— lily hay newman, WIRED, "'Trustjacking' Could Expose iPhones to Attack," 18 Apr. 2018
That process, known as selective incorporation, is now almost complete.

— matt ford, The New Republic, "Will the Supreme Court Rein in Civil Forfeiture?," 17 Apr. 2018
According to a state report, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) intercepted 19 guns at school last year at three elementary schools and a selective middle school magnet.

— staff reports, charlotteobserver, "NC Senate candidates: Where they stand on key issues | Charlotte Observer," 17 Apr. 2018
In a matchup characterized by a multitude of groundballs and selective pitching to the corners of the batter's box, Worrell remained calm on the mound while her defense communicated and stepped up to the task in crucial moments late in the game.

— OrlandoSentinel.com, "Hagerty takes down Apopka 5-1 in extra innings," 7 Apr. 2018
And lately, the CIA has been providing selective – and oddly endearing – details about her private life.

— andrew sullivan, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Isn’t Merely Tolerating Torture — He’s Celebrating It," 6 Apr. 2018
The selective misremembering of both Dr. King and the Black Panther Party is political.

— holly genovese, Teen Vogue, "Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Panther Party Shared Many of the Same Ideologies," 4 Apr. 2018
Drinkers are becoming more selective and exploring other types of alcohol as well.

— chris morris, Fortune, "Craft Beer's Days of Explosive Growth Are Over," 27 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'selective.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of selective

1625

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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selective Synonyms

SELECTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

selective

adjective

Definition of selective for English Language Learners

: careful to choose only the best people or things
: involving the selection of people or things from a group

SELECTIVE Defined for Kids

selective

adjective se·lec·tive \ sə-ˈlek-tiv \

Definition of selective for Students

: careful to choose or include only the best or most suitable individuals

a selective college

Medical Dictionary

selective

adjective se·lec·tive \ sə-ˈlek-tiv \

medical 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 permeability of a plasma membrane

—

selectively

adverb

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See words that rhyme with selective Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for selective Spanish Central: Translation of selective Nglish: Translation of selective for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of selective for Arabic speakers

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selective

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SELECTIVE Defined for English Language Learners

selective

Definition of selective for English Language Learners

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selective

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selective

medical Definition of selective

selectively

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