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sortition (sore-TI-shuhn) - n., the act or instance of drawing lots.
Drawing the winner of a raffle, picking the lottery numbers, drawing straws, picking a jury pool, whatever. The ancient Athenians appointed most state officials by sortition, which they thought more democratic than election. The term was borrowed in 1597 from sortītiōn, from the past participle of sortīrī, to draw lots, from sors, lot, portion, from PIE base *ser-, to line up (and so related to series).
---L.
Drawing the winner of a raffle, picking the lottery numbers, drawing straws, picking a jury pool, whatever. The ancient Athenians appointed most state officials by sortition, which they thought more democratic than election. The term was borrowed in 1597 from sortītiōn, from the past participle of sortīrī, to draw lots, from sors, lot, portion, from PIE base *ser-, to line up (and so related to series).
---L.
