selection

[si-lek-shuh n] /sɪˈlɛk ʃən/
noun
1.
an act or instance of selecting or the state of being selected; choice.
2.
a thing or a number of things selected.
3.
an aggregate of things displayed for choice, purchase, use, etc.; a group from which a choice may be made:
The store had a wide selection of bracelets.
4.
Biology. any natural or artificial process that results in differential reproduction among the members of a population so that the inheritable traits of only certain individuals are passed on, or are passed on in greater proportion, to succeeding generations.
Compare natural selection, sexual selection, kin selection, artificial selection.
5.
Linguistics.
  1. the choice of one form instead of another in a position where either can occur, as of ask instead of tell or with in the phrase ask me.
  2. the choice of one semantic or syntactic class of words in a construction, to the exclusion of others that do not occur there, as the choice of an animate object for the verb surprise.
Origin
1640-50; < Latin sēlēctiōn- (stem of sēlēctiō), equivalent to sēlēct(us) (see select) + -iōn- -ion
Related forms
selectional, adjective
nonselection, noun
reselection, noun
superselection, noun
Synonyms
2. collection, gathering, pick.
Antonyms
1. rejection.
Examples from the web for selection
  • selection varies from market to market, but choices are usually interchangeable in recipes, so have fun exploring options.
  • Perhaps he felt a certain delicacy in interfering with the selection of a possible successor in office.
  • How the same sentence may be expressed in other languages with striking differences in the selection and grouping of concepts.
  • He knows the value of artistic selection and arrangement, and is something of a virtuoso of the short story.
  • Guests go to the table and help themselves to their own selection of bread and cakes.
  • Sunset offers you the best selection of beautiful and versatile plans to enhance your lifestyle.
  • Best of all, a selection of soups is a simple way to entertain casually.
  • And, be on the lookout for a large selection of home and garden goods that have appeared in the magazine.
  • Also a good fish selection, a meat market, and a good cheese selection.
  • Most nurseries carry a fair selection of hybrid teas and other modern roses.
British Dictionary definitions for selection

selection

/sɪˈlɛkʃən/
noun
1.
the act or an instance of selecting or the state of being selected
2.
a thing or number of things that have been selected
3.
a range from which something may be selected: this shop has a good selection of clothes
4.
(biology) the natural or artificial process by which certain organisms or characters are reproduced and perpetuated in the species in preference to others See also natural selection
5.
a contestant in a race chosen as likely to win or come second or third
6.
(Austral)
  1. the act of free-selecting
  2. a tract of land acquired by free-selection
Word Origin and History for selection
n.

1620s, "act of selecting," from Latin selectionem (nominative selectio) "a choosing out, choice, selection," noun of action from past participle stem of seligere (see select (adj.)). Meaning "thing selected" is from 1805. Biological sense is from 1837; applied to actions of breeders (methodical selection), hence its use by Darwin (natural selection; 1857). French sélection is a 19c. borrowing from English.

selection in Medicine

selection se·lec·tion (sĭ-lěk'shən)
n.
A natural or artificial process that favors or induces survival and perpetuation of one kind of organism over others that die or fail to produce offspring.