belection: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare / ObsoleteArchaic, Literary
Quick answer
What does “belection” mean?
The act of selecting, choosing, or preferring someone or something, particularly in a non-political context.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of selecting, choosing, or preferring someone or something, particularly in a non-political context; a choice or selection.
A term sometimes used in philosophical or literary contexts to denote a fundamental, thoughtful act of choosing or the state of having been specially chosen. Can imply a preference based on discernment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant modern usage difference exists, as the word is obsolete in both dialects.
Connotations
None in contemporary use. Historically, it carried a neutral-to-formal connotation of selection.
Frequency
Effectively zero frequency in contemporary British or American English.
Grammar
How to Use “belection” in a Sentence
the belection of [something/someone]by belectionthrough careful belectionVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “belection” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Obsolete] They did belect him as their champion.
American English
- [Obsolete] She belected the finest materials for her work.
adverb
British English
- [No established adverbial form]
American English
- [No established adverbial form]
adjective
British English
- [No established adjectival form]
American English
- [No established adjectival form]
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only potentially in historical linguistics or studies of archaic texts.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “belection”
- Using it in place of the modern 'election'.
- Assuming it is a standard synonym for 'selection'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While related etymologically, 'election' has specialised to mean a formal choice by vote, especially for a political office. 'Belection' is an archaic, more general term for the act of choosing.
It is not recommended for general communication as it is obsolete. Its use would be limited to poetic, historical, or deliberately archaic contexts, and even then it may confuse readers.
It is a noun. The related, now obsolete, verb was 'belect'.
You are most likely to find it in texts from the 17th-19th centuries, in historical dictionaries like the OED, or in discussions of archaic English vocabulary.
The act of selecting, choosing, or preferring someone or something, particularly in a non-political context.
Belection is usually archaic, literary in register.
Belection: in British English it is pronounced /bɪˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/, and in American English it is pronounced /bəˈlɛkʃ(ə)n/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None for this archaic term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'BEing' the one you seLECT: be-lection.
Conceptual Metaphor
SELECTION IS A DELIBERATE PATH.
Practice
Quiz
'Belection' is best understood in modern English as: