electorate

American  

[ih-lek-ter-it] / ɪˈlɛk tər ɪt /

noun

1. the body of persons entitled to vote in an election.

2. the dignity or territory of an Elector of the Holy Roman Empire.

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electorate British  

/ ɪˈlɛktərɪt /

noun

1. the body of all qualified voters

2. the rank, position, or territory of an elector of the Holy Roman Empire

3. the area represented by a Member of Parliament

4. the voters in a constituency

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Etymology

Origin of electorate

First recorded in 1665–75; elector + -ate ³

Example Sentences

TOKYO—Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is on course for a big election win, according to polls, propelled by a section of the electorate that political leaders worldwide struggle to reach: young people.

From The Wall Street Journal

The snap vote has caught the ruling party, the opposition and much of the electorate off guard.

From BBC

Or they could propose and pass alternative versions of the measures, in which case both the originals and the alternatives would appear before the electorate, allowing voters to choose between them or reject both.

From The Wall Street Journal

For a democracy to exist, as those who founded this nation taught us, we need a well-informed electorate.

From Salon

Such views aren’t unusual in Japanese politics, but they repel some of the electorate.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• constituency
• voter