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gerrymander

Syllabification: (ger·ry·man·der)
Pronunciation: /ˈjerēˌmandər/
Definition of gerrymander

verb

[with object] (often as noun gerrymandering)
  • manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class.
  • achieve (a result) by manipulating the boundaries of an electoral constituency:a total freedom to gerrymander the results they want

noun

  • an instance of gerrymandering.

Derivatives

gerrymanderer

noun

Origin:

early 19th century: from the name of Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts + salamander, from the supposed similarity between a salamander and the shape of a new voting district on a map drawn when he was in office (1812), the creation of which was felt to favor his party: the map (with claws, wings, and fangs added), was published in the Boston Weekly Messenger, with the title The Gerry-Mander

gerrymander in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of gerrymander in the British & World English dictionary
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