eligible
Americanadjective
-
fit or proper to be chosen; worthy of choice; desirable.
to marry an eligible bachelor.
- Antonyms:
- unacceptable, unsuitable, ineligible
-
meeting the stipulated requirements, as to participate, compete, or work; qualified.
-
legally qualified to be elected or appointed to office.
eligible for the presidency.
noun
adjective
-
fit, worthy, or qualified, as for an office or function
-
desirable and worthy of being chosen, esp as a spouse
an eligible young man
Other Word Forms
- eligibility noun
- eligibleness noun
- eligibly adverb
- noneligible adjective
Etymology
Origin of eligible
First recorded in 1555–65; from Middle French or directly from Late Latin ēligibilis, equivalent to Latin ē- “out of, from” + lig- (combining form of leg-, stem of legere “to choose, select”) + -bilis “capable of, susceptible of, tending to”; e- 1, -ible
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the year Trout was first eligible for salary arbitration, the Angels signed him to his first long-term contract.
From Los Angeles Times
They are required to provide identification when registering to vote, and must swear under penalty of perjury, a felony, that they are eligible to vote and a U.S. citizen.
From Los Angeles Times
Young, who had a career-best 12 sacks, is entering the final season of his rookie contract and is eligible for an extension.
From Los Angeles Times
You should review your benefit status or contact the agency directly to determine whether you may now be eligible for benefits, either based on your own record or your husband’s.
From MarketWatch
In some smaller counties, most of those flagged were eligible to vote.
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
