elegido

Elegido is a Spanish adjective and past participle derived from the verb elegir, meaning selected or chosen. As an adjective it agrees in gender and number: el elegido (masculine singular), la elegida (feminine singular), los elegidos, las elegidas. It is also used as a noun phrase meaning “the chosen one,” often with definite article.

Etymology and forms: Elegir comes from the Latin eligere, to choose. The participle elegido functions both as a descriptor and as a component in compound tenses. Although related, elected (electo) is a separate adjective used to indicate someone who has been elected through an electoral process, as in presidente electo.

Usage: Elegido commonly describes a person selected for a task, role, honor, or office. It carries a sense of designation or appointment rather than the formal act of electoral victory. In political contexts, electo is typically preferred for meanings like “elected official” or “president-elect,” while elegido emphasizes being chosen or designated. In everyday language, phrases such as “el elegido para liderar el proyecto” illustrate its general sense of being selected.

Cultural and semantic notes: The expression “el elegido” appears widely in literature, religion, and popular culture to denote a prophesied or specially favored figure. In Spanish translations of media, “the Chosen One” is commonly rendered as “el elegido,” contributing to its recognized cultural usage.

See also: elegir, elección, electo, el elegido.