Eclectic
late 17th century (as a term in philosophy): from Greek eklektikos, from eklegein ‘pick out’, from ek ‘out’ + legein ‘choose’.
wiktionary
From French éclectique, from Ancient Greek ἐκλεκτικός(eklektikós, “selective”), from ἐκλέγω(eklégō, “I pick, choose”), from ἐκ(ek, “out, from”) + λέγω(légō, “I choose, count”).
Cognate to elect
etymonline
eclectic (adj.)
1680s, "not confined to or following any one model or system," originally in reference to ancient philosophers who selected doctrines from every system; from French eclectique (1650s), from Greek eklektikos "selective," literally "picking out," from eklektos "selected," from eklegein "pick out, select," from ek "out" (see ex-) + legein "gather, choose," from PIE root *leg- (1) "to collect, gather." Broader sense of "borrowed from diverse sources" is first recorded 1847. As a noun from 1817.
