elective

/ɪˈlɛktɪv/
adjective
  1. Related to or involving a choice; not required or mandatory.
    • Many students choose elective courses to explore new interests outside their major.
    • The school offers several elective classes like photography and creative writing.
    • She decided to have elective surgery to fix her knee, even though it wasn't urgent.
  2. Chosen or filled by election (as in a political position).
    • In a democracy, most leadership roles are elective positions.
    • The board members serve in an elective capacity, voted in by the shareholders.
    • The president is an elective office, not an appointed one.
noun
  1. A course or subject that a student can choose to take, as opposed to a required one.
    • His favorite elective was a class on film history.
    • I signed up for an elective in astronomy because I love space.
    • She needed two more electives to complete her degree.
What does "elective" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean