psephology

[see-fol-uh-jee]

noun

1. the study of elections.

psephology

/ ˌsɛfəˈlɒdʒɪkəl, sɛˈfɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. the statistical and sociological study of elections

Other Word Forms

• psephologically adverb
• psephological adjective
• psephologist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of psephology¹

First recorded in 1945–50; from Greek psêpho(s) “pebble” + -logy; so called from the Athenian custom of casting votes by means of pebbles

Word History and Origins

Origin of psephology¹

C20: from Greek psephos pebble, vote + _-logy , from the ancient Greeks' custom of voting with pebbles

Example Sentences

But politics is psychology as well as psephology.

From BBC

The reasons for leaving the House of Commons are usually a mix of circumstance and psephology.

From BBC

Labour folk point at the psephology - the numbers - and describe winning as "a moonshot".

From BBC

Butler called his brainchild "psephology" - a play on the Greek word for pebble.

From BBC

But politics is not just about strategy and psephology.

From BBC