elective
Not a requirement
Elective describes something chosen rather than required.
An elective course is one students select freely, as opposed to mandatory ones: I took ceramics as an elective.
In medicine, elective procedures are scheduled in advance rather than performed as emergencies: elective surgery.
In politics, elective office is filled by voting rather than appointment.
The word emphasizes optionality—the power to choose.
Subject to personal judgment
- voluntaryDone by choice
- noncompulsoryNot required by rule
- nonmandatoryNot compulsory
- supplementaryServing to complete
ancillary · additional · extra · secondary · peripheral · optional · choosable · flexible
Course plan document
- curriculumEducational program's content plan
- semesterHalf academic year
- transcriptVerbatim written account
- prerequisiteRequired prior condition
undergraduate · graduate · major · minor · degree · credits · university · college
Voting document
- candidatePerson seeking selection
- voteFormal choice expression
- democracyRule by the people
- referendumDirect vote on legislation
plebiscite · poll · nomination · campaign · suffrage · constituency · delegate · representative
Invasive medical procedure
- procedurePrescribed sequence of actions
- cosmeticSurface-level appearance enhancer
- scheduledArranged for specific time
- outpatientTreated without admission
rhinoplasty · liposuction · facelift · vasectomy · tummy tuck · breast augmentation · hip replacement · knee replacement
discretionary
Subject to personal judgment
- voluntaryDone by choice
- noncompulsoryNot required by rule
- nonmandatoryNot compulsory
supplementary · ancillary · additional · extra · secondary · peripheral · optional · choosable · flexible · selective
syllabus
Course plan document
- curriculumEducational program's content plan
- semesterHalf academic year
- transcriptVerbatim written account
prerequisite · undergraduate · graduate · major · minor · degree · credits · university · college · lectures
ballot
Voting document
referendum · plebiscite · poll · nomination · campaign · suffrage · constituency · delegate · representative · incumbent
surgery
Invasive medical procedure
- procedurePrescribed sequence of actions
- cosmeticSurface-level appearance enhancer
- scheduledArranged for specific time
outpatient · rhinoplasty · liposuction · facelift · vasectomy · tummy tuck · breast augmentation · hip replacement · knee replacement
- Education Termslesson plan, curriculum, syllabus, rubric, assessment
- Eduspeakpedagogy, curriculum mapping, scaffolding, rubric, formative
- schoolteachers, classrooms, classes, student, grades
- freefree, freed, liberated, released, unchained
- academicsprofessor, course, university professors, math, professors
- school termsfreshman, sophomore, junior, senior, homework
electiverequired
Needed by rule
mandatory · compulsory · obligatory · nonelective · non-elective
electiveappointed
Assigned to office
nominated · nonelected · designated · assigned · hereditary
electiveemergency
Serious sudden danger
urgent · essential · life-saving · non-elective · emergent
- election turnoutProportion who voted
- election interferenceUndermining legitimate ballot processes
- election resultsOfficial vote counts
- presidential electionVote for head of state
- runoff electionsContests after no majority
- election nightWhen winners are announced
election, electing, elections, selectivity, electioneer, electives, electioneering, electioneered, electively