Select

/sɪˈlekt/

verbBeginner🔥Very CommonGeneral
2 meanings1 idiom/phrase3 questions

Definitions

2 meanings
1

To carefully choose someone or something as being the best or most suitable.

/sɪˈlekt/

verbneutralBeginner
General

To choose from a group.

I will select my favorite flavor of ice cream.

💡 Simply: Imagine you're picking a pizza topping! When you select something, you're deciding it's the one you want from a bunch of choices. Like, "I'm going to *select* pepperoni!"

👶 For kids: To pick the one you want.

More Examples

2

The committee selected the new project manager.

3

Can you help me select a good movie to watch?

How It's Used

General

"She selected a book from the shelf."

Computer Science

"The user selected a file by clicking on it."

2

Chosen or chosen from a group or number.

/sɪˈlekt/

adjectivepositivemedium
General

Carefully chosen; exclusive.

The university offers scholarships to select students.

💡 Simply: When something is *select*, it's like it was picked out because it's special or the best. Think of 'selected' items in a store that have a better quality than the other items

👶 For kids: Picked the best.

More Examples

2

Only a select few were invited to the private event.

3

The store carries a select range of products

How It's Used

Education

"The school has a select group of students."

Business

"We are offering a select number of seats."

Tip:Think of things that are chosen with great care.

Idioms & expressions

select few

A small number of people or things.

"A *select few* were invited to the exclusive party."

From Latin *sēligere*, meaning 'to choose, pick out.'

Historically used in legal and political contexts to denote choosing or appointing individuals for specific roles or positions.

Memory tip

Think of the best options and CHOOSE!

Word Origin

LanguageLatin
Original meaning

"to choose, pick out"

select a bookselect an optionselect the bestselect a fileselect few

Common misspellings

selektselet

Usage

60%Spoken
40%Written