Definition of electives:
(adj) :
Of, or pertaining to voting or elections; involving a choice between options.
(adj) :
Open to choice; freely chosen; (also, usually) unnecessary; minor.
(n) :
Something that is an option or may be freely chosen, especially a course of study.
(adj) :
(US health care system, technical) Scheduled and nonemergent (regardless of whether necessary or unnecessary and whether minor or serious).