Definition of "elective" in 英语

adjective

1. Of, or pertaining to voting or elections; involving a choice between options.

   • 1697, John Dryden, The Works of Virgil […] translated into English Verse, London: Jacob Tonson, dedicatory preface to the Marquess of Normanby, For his Conscience could not but whisper to the Arbitrary Monarch, that the Kings of Rome were at first Elective, and Govern’d not without a Senate:
   • 1896, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, “The South African Question” in Speeches and Writings of M. K. Gandhi, Madras: G.A. Natesan, 3rd edition, 1922, p. 6, [The bill] says that no natives of countries (not of European origin) which have not hitherto possessed elective representative institutions […] shall be placed on the voters roll […]

2. Open to choice; freely chosen; (also, usually) unnecessary; minor.

   • After accounting for all of my required courses, there is hardly any room in my schedule for any elective ones.
   • 1782, Frances Burney, Cecilia, London: T. Payne & Son, and T. Cadell, Volume 5, Book 9, Chapter 8, pp. 160-161, “You know not then,” said Cecilia, in a faint voice, “my inability to comply?” “Your ability, or inability, I presume are elective?” “Oh no!—my power is lost!—my fortune itself is gone!”

3. (US health care system, technical) Scheduled and nonemergent (regardless of whether necessary or unnecessary and whether minor or serious).

   • It was very confusing hearing my cancer surgery being classified as "elective surgery". Am I "electing" to live rather than die?

noun

1. Something that is an option or may be freely chosen, especially a course of study.

   • I still need to decide which electives to take along with my compulsory courses next semester.