Elective used as a adjective means that it's optional and chosen, for example, by election. An elective, a noun, chosen by a student means that it's an optional subject or course in a curriculum. Elective's a term used for an academic course chosen by the student from a set of options, as opposed to a required course. While required courses (sometimes called core courses) are deemed essential for an academic degree, elective courses tend to be more specialized. Elective courses usually have fewe… (More on Elective)