What does "selector" mean?
Someone or something which selects or chooses.
Selector
/sɪˈlɛktə(ɹ)/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Someone or something which selects or chooses.
- Grammar: selector is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: choice function, chooser, computer, control.
- Usage evidence: There is one selection for hot chocolate. All selectors are the push button type.
How to use "selector"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "selector" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "selector" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "selector" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "selector" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "selector" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "choice function" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "selector", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Someone or something which selects or chooses.
"There is one selection for hot chocolate. All selectors are the push button type."
- 2 a switch that is used to select among alternatives wordnet
- 3 An administrator responsible for selecting which players will play for a side.
- 4 a person who chooses or selects out wordnet
- 5 A matching expression in a stylesheet determining which elements in the markup are affected by a style.
"The ID selector targets just one element per page, making it much more specific than a class selector that might target many."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 A pointer to a structure describing a segment of memory.
"Phar Lap executables […] provide a protected-mode selector, 34h, that maps to the first megabyte of physical memory."
- 7 A text string transmitted to a Gopher server, identifying the resource to be retrieved. Internet, historical
"Gopher selector strings are more liberal in makeup than URLs and may contain any characters other than a tab, return, or linefeed."
- 8 A disc jockey.
"That's my sector, homosexual dissector / Come again, rewind selector"
- 9 A person who is entitled to choose a tract of Crown land to purchase. Australia, historical
"Each selector in turn chose the particular allotment he wanted for his client, and so on till this important work was over."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"There is one selection for hot chocolate. All selectors are the push button type."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "selector"?
Common synonyms include: choice function, chooser, computer, control, curator, electorate.
How do you use "selector" in a sentence?
There is one selection for hot chocolate. All selectors are the push button type.
How do you pronounce "selector"?
Pronounced /sɪˈlɛktə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
From select + -or.