GERRYMANDER

I. noun Etymology: Elbridge Gerry + salamander; from the shape of an election district formed during Gerry's governorship of Mass. Date: 1812 the act or method of ~ing, a district or pattern of districts varying greatly in size or population as a result of ~ing, II. transitive verb (-dered; ~ing) Date: 1812 to divide (a territorial unit) into election districts to give one political party an electoral majority in a large number of districts while concentrating the voting strength of the opposition in as few districts as possible, to divide (an area) into political units to give special advantages to one group