Gerrymander Definition
jĕrē-măndər, gĕr-
gerrymandered, gerrymandering, gerrymanders
verb
To divide (a voting area) so as to give one political party a majority in as many districts as possible or weaken the voting strength of an ethnic or racial group, urban population, etc.
Webster's New World
To engage in gerrymandering.
Webster's New World
To manipulate unfairly so as to gain advantage.
Webster's New World
(pejorative, by extension) To draw dividing lines for other types of districts in an unintuitive way to favor a particular group or for other perceived gain.
The superintendent helped gerrymander the school district lines in order to keep the children of the wealthy gated community in the better school all the way across town.
Wiktionary
noun
A redistricting of voting districts to the advantage of one party or disadvantage of a group, region, etc.
Webster's New World
The act, process, or an instance of gerrymandering.
American Heritage
A district or configuration of districts whose boundaries are very irregular due to gerrymandering.
American Heritage
Origin of Gerrymander
-
From (Elbridge) Gerry + (sala)mander, from the similarity in shape to a salamander of an electoral district created when Gerry was the governor of Massachusetts
From Wiktionary
After Elbridge Gerry (sala)mander (from the shape of an election district created while Gerry was governor of Massachusetts)
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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