Eklegein

Eklegein, written in ancient Greek as ἐκλέγειν, is a verb meaning to select, to choose, or to elect. It covers both general act of choosing and formal election to office or office-bearing roles. The term is widely attested in classical prose and in Koine Greek, including political, legal, and religious contexts, where groups or individuals are selected by a process or by a decision of others. The related noun eklogē (ἐκλογή) denotes the act or result of election, and the adjective eklektos (ἐκλεκτός) means “chosen” or “selected,” with related terms such as eklektikos referring to select or elective characteristics.

Etymology and formation: eklegein is built from the prefix ek- (out, forth) and legew (from leg-); the underlying root leg- is linked to the sense of speaking or naming, extended by usage to mean choosing or selecting. This semantic development yields the modern sense of “to elect” or “to choose.”

Grammar and usage: In classical Greek, eklegein functions as a standard active verb with aorist, imperfect, present, and future forms, and with a middle or deponent counterpart ἐκλέγομαι, indicating a reflective or self-directed action such as “I choose for myself” or “I am elected.” The act can be carried out by people, assemblies, or institutions, and the object is typically a person or option being chosen.

In modern Greek, the verb survives with similar meanings, often rendered as “to elect” or “to choose,” and eklogi (εκλογή) remains the word for “election.” See also eklogē, eklektos, and related political or religious uses in historical sources.