a. and sb. Also 6–7 electif. [a. Fr. électif (cf. It. elettivo, Sp. electivo), on L. type *ēlectīvus: see ELECT v. and -IVE.
In English, as app. in Romanic, the active sense (normally belonging to words similarly formed) is of later origin than the passive sense.]
A. adj.
I. Connected with election to office or dignity.
1. In passive sense. Of the holder of an office, dignity, etc.: Appointed by election. Of an office, etc.: Filled up by election. Of authority: Derived from election.
1530–1. Act 22 Hen. VIII., c. 12. Every … baylye electif and elected.
1563. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 3/2. Abbasies, priories conuentuall, and other benefices electiue.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. 325. It may be that those Kings were elective, as the Edumæans anciently were.
1641. Milton, Prel. Episc. (1851), 82. A Temporary, and elective sway.
1735–8. Bolingbroke, On Parties, 167. The Gothick Kings were at first elective, and always limited.
1772–84. Cook, Voy. (1790), I. 78. A regent being necessary, that oftice, though elective, generally falls upon the father.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), I. iii. 81. The hereditary prince may be exchanged for an elective chief magistrate.
† b. Subject to election (at specified intervals).
1659. J. Harrington, Lawgiving, I. iv. (1700), 394. Annually elective of the People, as in the … Archons of Athens.
1759. B. Martin, Nat. Hist. Eng., II. 86. He is elective every three years.
2. In active sense: Having the power of electing officers or representatives by vote.
1632. Star Chamb. Cases (1886), 155. At the reading of the said letters he had the greater number of elective voices.
1844. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., iv. (1862), 61. Elective body, a body whose functions are confined to the choice of representatives.
1862. Ansted, Channel Isl., IV. xxiii. 527. The business of the Elective States [in Guernsey] is limited to the election of the jurats and the sheriff.
3. Pertaining to the election of officers or representatives; (of a system of government, etc.) based upon the principle of election.
1642. Bridge, Wounded Consc. Cured, iv. 27. When the government is elective and pactionall, are not the Princes the Ministers?
1791. Mackintosh, Vind. Gallicæ, Wks. 1846, III. 68. The elective constitution of the new clergy of France.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res. (1858), 152. He appears to make little even of the Elective Franchise.
1862. Merivale, Rom. Emp. (1865), IV. xxxix. 373. A preference of the elective to the hereditary principle in every department of government.
II. Pertaining to choice in general.
† 4. Pertaining to the action of choosing. Of actions: Proceeding from free choice, optional, voluntary. Obs.
1643. Milton, Divorce, Wks. 1738, I. 208. God delights not to make a drudge of Virtue, whose Actions must be all elective and unconstrained.
1656. Hobbes, Liberty, Necess. & Ch. (1841), 409. All elective actions are free from absolute necessity.
1668. Howe, Bless. Righteous (1825), 4. To apply at last his intellectual and elective powers.
1775. Johnson, Tax. no Tyr., 14. A duty temporary, occasional, and elective.
† 5. Preferentially selected according to circumstances. Obs. rare.
1643. T. Goodwin, Child of Light, 117. There are to be peculiar elective plaisters to heale these wounds, because these wounds are often differing.
† 6. Proper according to astrological election. Obs. rare.
1681. Chetham, Angler’s Vade-m., ix. § 21 (1689), 96. Elective Times most propitious to Anglers.
† 7. = ECLECTIC. Obs. rare.
1681. H. More, Expos. Daniel, Pref. p. xx. Like a Philosopher of the Elective Sect, addicting my self to no persons nor parties.
8. Of physical forces and agencies: Having a tendency to operate on certain objects in preference to others. Elective affinity (Chem.): the tendency of a substance to combine with certain particular substances in preference to others; formerly elective attraction, which is still used, but chiefly in a wider sense.
1766. Phil. Trans., LVI. 100. There seems … to have been a double elective attraction in the fourteenth Experiment.
1794. J. Hutton, Philos. Light, 50. The elective affections of this irradiated influence.
1800. Henry, Epit. Chem. (1808), 18. Tables of elective affinity have been formed.
1802. Paley, Nat. Theol., xxi. (1819), 330. It is owing to this original elective power in the air that we can effect the separation which we wish.
1869. Tyndall, Light, § 257. Light … which has been sifted … by elective absorption.
1876. trans. Schützenberger’s Ferment., 32. Dubrunfant has given this phenomenon the name of elective fermentation.
b. fig.
1796. Burke, Regic. Peace, iii. Wks. VIII. 285. Sympathetick attraction discovers … our elective affections.
1853. De Quincey, Autobiog. Sk., Wks. I. 203. The effect of the music is to place the mind in a state of elective attraction for everything in harmony with its own prevailing key.
1872. O. W. Holmes, Poet Breakf.-t., v. 151. There is a chance for the elective affinities.
† B. sb. An elected representative. Obs. rare.
1701. Answ. to Black-List, i. The Just and Prudent Proceedings of their Electives?
