# selective

/səˈɫɛktɪv/ (US) · /sɪlˈɛktɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/selective
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. choosy or careful

adjective · CEFR B2

being very careful about what you choose and only picking the best or most suitable things.

For teachers: characterised by careful discrimination or fastidiousness when making a choice.

- He is very selective about the people he invites to his private parties.
- The university is highly selective, admitting fewer than ten percent of applicants each year to maintain its academic standards.

### 2. affecting only some things

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

affecting only some things or people and not others.

For teachers: operating on or affecting only certain specific items or individuals within a group.

- The drug is selective and only attacks the sick cells in the body.
- The new herbicide offers selective weed control, destroying invasive species without harming the surrounding wheat crop.

### 3. relating to natural selection

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

relating to the way nature chooses which animals or plants survive.

For teachers: pertaining to the process of natural or artificial selection in a biological context.

- Selective breeding has helped farmers produce cows that give more milk.
- Environmental changes created a selective pressure that favoured individuals with thicker fur during the prolonged cooling period.

Usage: often used in the phrase 'selective breeding' or 'selective pressure'

## Examples

- The university is very selective about which students it accepts.
- The new antibiotic is highly selective, meaning it kills harmful bacteria without damaging the beneficial ones in the gut.
- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.