constituency
Americannoun
-
a body of constituents; the voters or residents in a district represented by an elective officer.
-
the district itself.
-
any body of supporters, customers, etc.; clientele.
noun
-
the whole body of voters who elect one representative to a legislature or all the residents represented by one deputy
-
-
a district that sends one representative to a legislature
-
( as modifier )
constituency organization
-
Etymology
Origin of constituency
First recorded in 1825–35; constitu(ent) + -ency
Explanation
If you're an elected official, your constituency is the group of people whose interests you were elected to represent. A constituency can be described in general as the population living in a district, state, or region, but it can also be any smaller section of that population, such as individuals or small groups advocating for specific issues. Your "main constituency" usually refers to the people whose needs you feel most strongly about, or the people who are most loyal to you.
Vocabulary lists containing constituency
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Legislative Branch, Sections 1–3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week In Words: December 7-13, 2019
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Constituency MSPs are selected directly under first past the post, with the winner being the candidate who receives the most votes.
From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026
Only 20 of those will be directly elected by the public - these are the Geographical Constituency seats.
From BBC • Dec. 18, 2021
Constituency areas with the smallest percentage declines in the volume of cash withdrawals:
From BBC • Oct. 19, 2021
The public statement came after David Llewellyn Davies, Chair of Cardiff West Constituency Labour Party wrote to Mr Drakeford, asking him to declare his position.
From BBC • Aug. 14, 2015
"I'm a Protestant, Mr. Speaker," he shouted, beaming on the Chair, "and I'm sent here by a majority of 2,500 Catholic peasants to represent an Ulster Constituency."
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 104, April 15, 1893 by Burnand, F. C. (Francis Cowley), Sir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
