different between selection vs selective

English

Etymology

From Latin s?l?cti? (“the act of choosing out, selection”), from s?l?ctus, perfect passive participle of s?lig? (“choose out, select”), from s?- (“apart”) + leg? (“gather, select”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s??l?k??n/
• Rhymes: -?k??n

Noun

selection (countable and uncountable, plural selections)

1. The process or act of selecting.

   The large number of good candidates made selection difficult.

2. Something selected.

   My final selection was a 1934 Chateau Lafitte.

3. A variety of items taken from a larger collection.

   I've brought a selection of fine cheeses to go with your wine.

4. A musical piece.

   For my next selection, I'll play Happy Birthday in F-sharp minor.

5. (databases) A set of data obtained from a database using a query.
6. (linguistics) The ability of predicates to determine the semantic content of their arguments. ^Wp
7. (programming) A list of items on which user operations will take place. ^Wp
8. (algebra) A unary operation that denotes a subset of a relation.
9. (historical) The free selection before survey of crown land in some Australian colonies under land legislation introduced in the 1860s. ^Wp
10. (biology) The stage of a genetic algorithm in which individual genomes are chosen from a population for later breeding. ^Wp
11. (biology) Ellipsis of natural selection

Synonyms

• choice
• (musical piece): number
• (something selected): option
• (musical piece): piece
• (variety from larger collection): subset

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• selection in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• selection in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• elections, selenotic, telesonic

English

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /s??l?kt?v/
• Rhymes: -?kt?v

Adjective

selective (comparative more selective, superlative most selective)

1. Of or relating to the process of selection. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
2. (biology) Of or relating to natural selection.

   selective pressure

3. (of a person) choosy, fussy or discriminating when selecting.

   He's very selective and spent hours in the store choosing a new shirt.

4. (chiefly US, not comparable) Having the authority or capability to make a selection.

   In the USA, military conscription is controlled by the Selective Service.

Derived terms

• selectively
• selectiveness

Related terms

• select
• selectivity

Translations

References

• “selective” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.

Anagrams

• cleveites, electives