SELECTIVE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does selective mean? 

• SELECTIVE (adjective)
  The adjective SELECTIVE has 2 senses:

1. tending to select; characterized by careful choice

2. characterized by very careful or fastidious selection

  Familiarity information: SELECTIVE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SELECTIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Tending to select; characterized by careful choice

Context example:

an exceptionally quick and selective reader

Similar:

discriminating (showing or indicating careful judgment and discernment especially in matters of taste)

Derivation:

select (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)

selectivity (the property of being selective)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Characterized by very careful or fastidious selection

Context example:

the school was very selective in its admissions

Similar:

exclusive (excluding much or all; especially all but a particular group or minority)

Derivation:

select (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)

selectivity (the property of being selective)

 Context examples 

A second-generation, orally bioavailable, highly selective small molecule inhibitor of the serine/threonine protein kinase Aurora A kinase with potential antineoplastic activity.

(Alisertib, NCI Thesaurus)

It is a type of selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM).

(Acolbifene hydrochloride, NCI Dictionary)

A potent and selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist.

(Alosetron, NCI Thesaurus)

Argatroban is highly selective for thrombin and is able to inhibit the action of both free and clot-associated thrombin.

(Argatroban, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent is also a selective human adenosine A3 receptor antagonist.

(Aminothiadiazole, NCI Thesaurus)

A selective cytochemical monocyte marker for alpha-naphthyl butyrate at pH 6.1.

(Alpha-naphthyl Butyrate Esterase, NCI Thesaurus)

The researchers developed the first highly potent, highly selective FKBP51 inhibitor, called SAFit2, which is now being tested in mice.

(Depression, Obesity, Chronic Pain Could be Treated by Targeting the Same Key Protein, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

A main metabolite of the selective estrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen with anti-estrogen activity.

(N-Desmethyltamoxifen, NCI Thesaurus)

This type of selective focus is known as spatial attention.

(How the brain pays attention to faces and places, NIH)

"By contrast, the anti-tumor property of βGBP is selective and not harmful to normal cells," lead author Professor Livio Mallucci said.

(Molecule in Immune System Able to Trigger 'Suicide' of Cancerous Tumors, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)