se ‧ lec ‧ tive AC /səˈlektɪv, sɪˈlektɪv/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ selection , ↑ selector , ↑ selectivity ; verb : ↑ select ; adverb : ↑ selectively ; adjective : ↑ selective ]
1 . careful about what you choose to do, buy, allow etc ⇨ non-selective
selective about/in
We’re very selective about what we let the children watch.
selective schools (=that choose which students to accept)
He has a very selective memory (=he chooses what he wants to remember and what to forget) .
2 . affecting or relating to the best or most suitable people or things from a larger group:
selective breeding
—selectively adverb
—selectivity /səˌlekˈtɪvəti, sɪˌlekˈtɪvəti/ noun [uncountable]