Meaning

noun an exclusive group of people

verb select by a vote for an office or membership

verb choose

originBorrowed from Latin ēlēctus, past participle of ēligō (“to pick out, choose, elect”), from ē- (“out”) + legō (“to pick out, pick, gather, collect, etc.”); see legend. Cognate to eclectic, which is via Ancient Greek rather than Latin, hence prefix ἐκ (ek), rather than e- (from ex).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0