Election
/ɪˈlɛk.ʃən/noun
The act or process of choosing someone for a public office or position by voting.
Did you know?Its deepest ancestor is the same PIE root behind words like *legible* and *lectern*, all circling the ancient idea of “gathering” or “picking out” what stands apart.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leg-
“to gather, collect, pick out”
Latin
Latin
eligere
“to pick out, choose”
Latin
Latin
electio
“a choosing, selection”
Old French
Old French
electioun
“choice, election”
Middle English
English
eleccioun
“the choosing of a person for office”
Modern English
English
election
“the act or process of choosing by vote”