ENGLISH
REFERENCE

selective

adj.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //səˈɫɛktɪv// UK //sɪlˈɛktɪv// se·lec·tive

adj. choosing only the best or most suitable things or people. It can also describe a process that only affects certain things and not others.

adj. characterised by careful choice or the use of specific criteria to include or exclude items. In a biological or chemical context, it refers to a process that acts on only one substance or organism among many.


SIMPLE

The university is very selective about which students it accepts.

CONTEXTUAL

The new antibiotic is highly selective, meaning it kills harmful bacteria without damaging the beneficial ones in the gut.

COMPLEX

Natural selection is a selective process where individuals with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those traits to the next generation.

Usage

Often followed by the preposition 'about' when referring to personal choices or 'in' when referring to a general approach.

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