Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Latin
Origin: electus, past participle of eligere 'to choose'

elect

1 verb
     
Related topics: Voting
e‧lect1 S2 W3 [transitive usually passive]
1PPV to choose someone for an official position by voting:
the country's first democratically elected government
a new method for electing the leader of the party
elect somebody to something
He was elected to a US state governorship.
elect somebody (as) president/leader/mayor etc
In 1768, John Wilkes was elected as their Member of Parliament.
2

elect to do something

formal to choose to do something:
You can elect to delete the message or save it.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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