From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Voting, Hospitalelectivee‧lec‧tive1 /ɪˈlektɪv/ adjective formal1PPVan electiveposition or organization is one for which there is an electionthe 34 elective seats in the National Assembly2MHelective medicaltreatment is treatment that you choose to have, although you do not have toelective surgery such as hip replacements3American English an elective course is one that students can choose to take, although they do not have to take it in order to graduate → moduleExamples from the Corpuselective• Create a first-year elective course on socialjustice, includingpublicinterestlaw and race.• The patient was then enrolled into a programme of elective longterm prophylactic sclerotherapy.• I would just hope that everybody understands we do not support this procedure as an electivemeasure.• As the storyunfolds, first Axel and then Alec come to wieldextraordinarypower in Washington without running for electiveoffice.• Forbes, 48, a multimillionairefunding his presidentialbid with his own money, has never held elective office.• This finding supports the view that chemotherapy should be the elective treatment in this group.• It is sad that Park and colleagues have not understood the logical and moralbasis of elective ventilation.elective surgery• The hospitaldelayedelective surgeries, but the day otherwise went smoothly, a spokeswoman said.• Diagnostictests and elective surgeries may be postponed or ordered less frequently.Related topics: Collegeelectiveelective2 noun [countable]American EnglishSEC a course that students can choose to take, but they do not have to take it in order to graduate → moduleExamples from the Corpuselective• This class is an elective, and so I chose it, and I chose to come.• Or is this just another blow-off elective, designed to pad the students' schedules?• A mixed group of students would be catered for by placing greater emphasis on electives.