selector

selector — noun

1. A switch, dial, button, or similar part on a machine or device that you use to c

1.nounB2
Definition

A switch, dial, button, or similar part on a machine or device that you use to choose from a set of options — for example, the gear selector in a car or the channel selector on a radio.

Example

Daichi turned the gear selector to reverse and backed out of the driveway.

collocation: gear selector

Hugo turned the radio's channel selector until the jazz station came through clearly.

collocation: channel selector

Common collocations
  • gear selector
  • channel selector
  • mode selector
  • speed selector
  • temperature selector
Synonyms
  • switch

    More general; any device that turns something on/off or between positions, not specifically for choosing among options.

  • dial

    Specifically a round control that you turn to select from a range of values or settings.

  • control

    Broader meaning; includes buttons, knobs, and switches used to operate a machine.

Grammar Patterns

[function] + selector

selector + for + [device]

Usage Note

Often combined with a noun that names what is being chosen, as in gear selector, channel selector, or mode selector.

Common Mistakes

I turned the selector to change the station.
I turned the channel selector to pick a new station.
Adding the type of selector (channel, gear, mode) makes the sentence much clearer.

2. A person whose job or responsibility is to decide which people will be part of a

2.nounB1
Definition

A person whose job or responsibility is to decide which people will be part of a team, especially in sports.

Example

Gabriela was appointed chief selector for the national swimming team last March.

selector + for [sports team]

The cricket selectors chose three young players for next month's international tournament in Melbourne.

plural: the selectors of a team

Common collocations
  • chief selector
  • team selector
  • national selector
  • selection committee
Synonyms
  • scout

    A person who watches players to assess their talent and reports to the team; less decision-making authority than a selector.

  • recruiter

    Actively seeks out and attracts candidates; more common in business and military contexts than sports.

Grammar Patterns

selector + for + [group/team]

selector + of + [people]

Usage Note

Often used in sports journalism and team management contexts. A group of selectors may also be called a selection committee.

Common Mistakes

The selection chose the team.
The selector chose the team.
'Selection' refers to the process or the group of chosen people, not the person doing the choosing.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

Selector, scout, and recruiter all involve evaluating people, but with different roles and authority. A selector makes the final decision about who joins a team, especially in sports — they have the power to choose or reject. A scout watches and reports on potential candidates but typically does not decide who is selected; their job is to find talent and pass along recommendations. A recruiter actively seeks candidates and persuades them to join an organization, which involves relationship-building rather than evaluation alone. For example, a football selector picks the eleven players for match day, a scout travels to games to identify promising young athletes, and a corporate recruiter contacts qualified professionals about open positions.

selector ↗scout ↗recruiter

Common collocations

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Selector comes from the Latin verb 'seligere' meaning 'to choose out' — formed from 'se-' (apart) and 'legere' (to gather, choose). English adopted 'select' in the 1500s, and added the agent suffix '-or' (one who does something) to form 'selector'. The word first referred to a person who chooses, and was later extended to mechanical and electrical devices in the 1800s and 1900s.