selection
0 antonyms and opposites of selection, grouped by meaning.
Noun — The act of choosing one or more things or people from a larger group.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
The act of choosing one or more things or people from a larger group.
“The selection of a new head teacher took three months.”
2. noun
The thing or set of things chosen, or the range available to choose from.
“The shop carries a wide selection of imported cheeses.”
3. noun biology
In biology, the process by which some organisms survive and reproduce more successfully than others, so that their traits become more common in a population.
“Natural selection favours moths whose colouring matches the bark.”
How to use selection
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral; the biological sense is technical.
Etymology
From Latin selectio, from seligere 'to choose out', from se- 'apart' and legere 'to gather, choose'.
Full origin of selection →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between selection and choice?
They overlap heavily. Selection tends to describe a deliberate process, often formal or systematic, and the group of items available; choice emphasises the decision itself and the freedom to make it. A shop has a good selection, but you make your choice.
What is natural selection in simple terms?
Individuals in a population vary, some of that variation is inherited, and the variants that help an organism survive and reproduce get passed on more often. Over many generations this shifts the whole population, which is how species adapt to their environment.
Is selection countable or uncountable?
Both. Uncountable when it means the process ('selection is competitive'), countable when it means the item or set chosen ('a fine selection of wines', 'her three selections').