constituency
kun-STICH-oo-un-see
/kənˈstɪtʃuənsi/
A body of voters in a specified area who elect a representative to a legislative body; or the area itself.
Can refer both to the physical electoral district and to the group of people living within it.
The story behind the word. Originating from Latin 'constituentem' (setting up / establishing), the term entered English in the 17th century to describe the component elements that establish a body. In parliamentary contexts, it evolved to signify the voters who 'constitute' an MP's authority by electing them.
Word relationships
- electoral district: 'Electoral district' emphasizes the physical geography, whereas 'constituency' places equal emphasis on the people who live there.
Commonly confused with
- electorate: An electorate is the whole body of eligible voters in an entire nation/state; a constituency is a specific localized district group.
Word family
- constituent (noun): A voting member of a constituency.
- constitute (verb): To combine to form a whole.
Collocations
- local constituency
- core constituency
- constituency boundary
- serve a constituency
Idioms & expressions
- key constituency
Example sentences
- "The representative spent the weekend meeting voters across her local constituency." Parliamentary politics
- "Changes in economic policy offended key segments of the MP's core constituency." Electoral analysis
Memory hook
CONSTITUENTs CONSTITUTE (build up) the support behind an elected representative. The home base of voters an official represents.
When not to use
Avoid using to describe general public opinion outside of a designated representative relationship.
Fun facts
- In British political jargon, MPs often hold weekly public meetings called 'constituency surgeries' to help local residents.
Related words
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