selective

selective — adjective

1. choosing only the people, items, or experiences that match your own high standar

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

choosing only the people, items, or experiences that match your own high standards, and turning down others that do not meet those standards

Example

Kwame is selective about the films he watches — he only sees documentaries and award-winning dramas.

selective about + noun phrase for careful choice

Young children are often selective eaters and may refuse any food that looks unfamiliar.

selective eater: common collocation for food preferences

Common collocations
  • selective about
  • selective in
  • selective eater
  • selective memory
  • selective breeding
  • highly selective
  • very selective
  • increasingly selective
Synonyms
  • picky

    more informal and slightly negative; suggests being difficult to please rather than having high standards

  • choosy

    informal; like picky but slightly milder in tone

  • discerning

    more formal and positive; suggests good judgment and taste

  • particular

    emphasises attention to detail; can apply to any specific requirement

Antonyms
  • undiscriminating

    formal; describes someone who accepts everything without judging quality

  • indiscriminate

    often negative; suggests a lack of careful thought in choosing

Grammar Patterns

selective + about + noun phrase

selective + in + noun phrase

selective + noun (attributive)

Usage Note

Frequently followed by 'about' (selective about what you choose) or 'in' (selective in your choices). The pattern 'selective + noun' (selective eater, selective memory, selective breeding) is common in both everyday and technical contexts.

Common Mistakes

He is very selective with his food.
He is very selective about his food.
'selective about' is the standard preposition pattern for objects of choice.
She was selective to choose the best candidate.
She was selective in choosing the best candidate.
'selective' takes a prepositional phrase ('in + gerund'), not an infinitive clause.

2. describing a school, college, or university that admits students based on academ

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing a school, college, or university that admits students based on academic performance or test results, rather than accepting all applicants

Example

Harper passed the entrance exam and gained a place at a highly selective grammar school.

highly selective: intensifier with school context

The university's selective admissions process accepts fewer than one in ten applicants each year.

selective admissions: attributive noun pattern in education

Common collocations
  • selective school
  • selective college
  • selective university
  • selective admissions
  • selective education
  • selective system
  • highly selective
  • most selective
Synonyms
  • competitive

    focuses on the difficulty of getting in; can apply to programs as well as schools

  • exclusive

    more about status and cost; not necessarily based on academic merit

  • restricted

    more general; simply means places are limited

Antonyms
  • comprehensive

    UK-specific; a comprehensive school accepts all children regardless of ability

  • open-access

    describes a school or programme that admits any qualified applicant

Grammar Patterns

selective + school / college / university / system / process

gradable: highly / very / extremely + selective

Usage Note

Primarily used in British English education contexts. The term usually appears before a noun (attributive position). 'Selective school' contrasts with 'comprehensive school' (which accepts all students regardless of ability). Not typically used for US public schools, though 'selective college/university' is used in both US and UK contexts.

Common Mistakes

That school is very selective about students.
That school is very selective in its admissions.
When describing an institution's policy, use 'in its admissions' rather than 'about students.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe someone who does not accept everything, but they differ in tone and register. 'Selective' is the most neutral and widely used — it simply indicates a deliberate choice to accept only certain options. 'Picky' and 'choosy' are informal and slightly negative, suggesting someone is unnecessarily difficult to please ('my picky toddler refuses all vegetables'). 'Discerning' is formal and approving — it implies refined taste and good judgment, often applied to experts or connoisseurs ('a discerning wine collector'). In formal contexts, use 'selective' or 'discerning'; in casual conversation, 'picky' and 'choosy' are appropriate but can sound critical. For example: 'The gallery is selective about which artists it shows' (neutral, professional); 'She's picky about where she eats' (casual, mildly critical); 'He's a discerning art buyer' (admiring, formal).

picky ↗choosydiscerning ↗selective ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • selective about what
  • selective in one's choice of
  • have a selective memory
  • selective school system

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'selective' was formed in English around the early 1600s by joining 'select' (meaning 'chosen specially, picked out') with the suffix '-ive', which turns verbs into adjectives meaning 'having the quality of'. 'Select' itself comes from Latin 'selectus', the past participle of 'seligere' — 'se-' meaning 'apart' and 'ligere' meaning 'to choose'. So at its root, 'selective' literally means 'having the quality of choosing apart'. The educational sense of 'selective school' developed in British English during the 20th century alongside the grammar school system.