/ ɪˈlekt; NAmE / verb , adjective
■ verb
1.
elect sb (to sth) | elect sb (as) sth to choose sb to do a particular job by voting for them :
[ vn ]
an elected assembly / leader / representative
the newly elected government
She became the first black woman to be elected to the Senate.
[ vn - n ]
He was elected (as) MP for Oxford East.
2.
[ v to inf ] ( formal ) to choose to do sth :
Increasing numbers of people elect to work from home nowadays.
■ adjective
1.
used after nouns to show that sb has been chosen for a job, but is not yet doing that job :
the president elect
2.
the elect noun [ pl. ] ( religion ) people who have been chosen to be saved from punishment after death
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Latin elect- picked out, from the verb eligere , from e- (variant of ex- ) out + legere to pick.