To remove something from a selection or to cancel a previous choice, especially in computer interfaces.
From de- (remove) + select (choose). This is a modern word born from computing terminology, appearing frequently in software and digital contexts starting in the 1980s.
In the age of computers, we needed a quick verb for 'undo my selection'—so English just added 'de-' to 'select' to create 'deselect,' showing how technology creates new words by filling practical needs.
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