v. [ad. L. cooptāre, f. co(m) together + optāre to choose. In L. strictly ‘to choose as a colleague, friend, or member of one’s tribe or family’; sometimes also ‘to elect into a body,’ otherwise than by its members. Cf. the earlier uses of COOPTATE, COOPTATION.]
trans. To elect into a body by the votes of its existing members.
1651. Howell, Venice, 158. The favour they did him to co-opt him into the body of their Nobility. Ibid., 183. He sufferd himself to be coopted into the Colledg of Cardinalls.
1724. Reg. Trin. Coll., Dublin, in Fraser, Life Berkeley, iv. (1871), 101. Dr. Clayton was admitted and co-opted Senior Fellow.
1860. W. G. Clark, Vac. Tour, 17. A body of bravoes … who co-opt into their body those who, by strength of arm and skill in the use of the stiletto, may have shown themselves worthy of the distinction.
1862. Sat. Rev., XIV. 217/1. The claim of the existing Residentiaries to coopt to a vacancy.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., III. xx. 418. These eight co-opted two more, and these ten two more.
1881. Nature, XXIII. 292. He was co-opted a Senior Fellow … [and] made Vice-Provost.
Hence Co[-]opted, Co[-]opting ppl. adjs.
1875. Symonds, Renaiss. Italy, I. ii. 149. The Grand Council, as a co-opting body, tended to become a close aristocracy.
1881. Times, 17 May, 4/1. The Convocation of Canterbury … by means of members of their own body and co-opted scholars and divines … have completed one portion of the work.
1887. Q. Rev., Jan., 176. Coopted trustees.
