gerrymander English · revision 353

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈd͡ʒɛɹiˌmændə/ ''(UK)''; /ˈd͡ʒɛɹiˌmændəɹ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a blend of the surname of Elbridge Gerry, governor of Massachusetts, and [[salamander]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) because an election district created by his party in 1812 was thought to look like a salamander.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) The redistricting was meant to preserve an Antifederalist majority, and one sprawling Essex County district was caricatured as a monster called the Gerrymander.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The arrangement of electoral districts to give one party an unfair advantage; as a verb, to arrange districts in this way.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Gerry's name was pronounced with a hard ''g'', but the word is now usually said with a soft one.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) The verb is also used of manipulating other boundaries or systems for unfair advantage.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1812 – noun and verb.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1813 – the ''Massachusetts Spy'' counts “eleven gerrymanders” among the elected senators.^(AHD)

+ * 1848 – ''gerrymandered'', ''gerrymandering''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To divide an area into voting districts so as to give one party an unfair advantage.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To divide an area into other kinds of districts so as to favour a particular group.^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act or practice of gerrymandering.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A district or pattern of districts shaped by gerrymandering.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gerrymanderer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[salamander]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}