ELECT'IVE, adjective Dependent on choice, as an elective monarchy, in which the king is raised to the throne by election; opposed to hereditary.

1. Bestowed or passing by election; as an office is elective

2. Pertaining to or consisting in choice or right of choosing; as elective franchise.

3. Exerting the power of choice; as an elective act.

4. Selecting for combination; as elective attraction, which is a tendency in bodies to unite with certain kinds of matter in preference to others.