Emily Dickinson Lexicon

E-LECT'IVE, a.

1. Dependent on choice, as an elective monarchy, in which the king is raised to the throne by election; opposed to hereditary.
2. Bestowed or passing by election; as, an office is elective.
3. Pertaining to or consisting in choice or right of choosing; as, elective franchise.
4. Exerting the power of choice; as, an elective act.
5. Selecting for combination; as, an elective attraction, which is a tendency in bodies to unite with certain kinds of matter in preference to others.