ENGLISH
REFERENCE

election

n. countable
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ɪˈɫɛkʃən// UK //ɪlˈɛkʃən// elec·tion Archaic General-service

n. the process of choosing a leader or a representative by voting. You usually see this when a country picks a new president or a club picks a new head.

n. a formal process of selecting a person for public office or of accepting or rejecting a political proposition by voting. Frequently used with modifiers to specify the level of government, such as local, general, or presidential.


SIMPLE

The country holds a general election every four years.

CONTEXTUAL

Voter turnout was higher than expected during the local election because of the controversial new housing policy.

COMPLEX

Political analysts observed that the recent election was marked by a significant shift in the demographic composition of the electorate, particularly among younger urban voters.

Origin

From Middle English eleccioun, eleccion, from Anglo-Norman eleccioun, from Latin ēlectiōn-, stem of ēlectiō (“choice, selection”), from ēligō (“to pluck out, to choose”). Equivalent to elect + -ion.

Usage

Commonly takes the prepositions 'in' or 'during' ('to vote in an election').

Pitfall

The people made an election of himThe people elected himWhile 'election' is the noun, learners often use it awkwardly as an object of 'make'; the verb 'elect' is the natural choice for describing the action.

© 2026 English Reference