-ktə(r) noun
( -s )
Etymology: Late Latin, from Latin selectus (past participle of seligere to select) + -or
: one that selects: as
a. : a person who selects
selector of All-American teams — Current Biography
the selector … knows good-looking merchandise — Women's Wear Daily
edited by an expert librarian selector — Saturday Review
b.
(1) : a person who selects Australian public land to settle on
(2) : a small farmer of Australia
c. : a mechanical or electrical device for automatically selecting predetermined shapes, sizes, or materials or chosen or actuated for starting or stopping (as an elevator)
d.
(1) : the element in a transmission gearshift of an automotive vehicle that is guided by the gearshift lever so that the desired gearshift bar is actuated
(2) : the lever in an automatic gearshift operated by the driver to select the desired speed
e. : a converter with horizontal tuyeres to produce bottoms and a purified copper in one operation
f. : an electric switch mechanism designed to move over a number of terminals and to select a particular one or group in accordance with the signal received
g. : station selector
h. : an apparatus for operating either or any of two or more railroad signals by a single lever so as automatically to connect the particular signal controlling the route or track for which a switch has been set