I. ˈjerēˌmandə(r), -riˌm-, -maan-, ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ also ˈge- or ˌge-; the “G” in the surname “Gerry” is pronounced g noun
( -s )
Etymology: Elbridge Gerry died 1814 American statesman + sala mander; from the fancied resemblance to a salamander (made famous by caricature) of the irregularly shaped outline of an election district in northeastern Mass. that had been formed for partisan purposes in 1812 during Gerry's governorship
1. : the act or method of gerrymandering
the district was the product of a 1950 gerrymander — Gladwin Hill
2. : a district or pattern of districts varying greatly in size or population as a result of gerrymandering
three new gerrymanders in New York City — Gus Tyler
II. verb
( gerrymandered ; gerrymandered ; gerrymandering -d(ə)ring ; gerrymanders )
transitive verb
1. : to divide (a territorial unit) into election districts in an unnatural and unfair way with the purpose of giving 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
California's Republican legislature gerrymandered the 26th … to make it overwhelmingly Democratic and turn four adjoining districts into Republican strongholds — Time
2. : to divide (an area) into political units in an unnatural and unfair way with the purpose of giving special advantages to one group
plans to gerrymander school districts so that de facto segregation could be maintained — Don Pryor
intransitive verb
: to follow the practice of creating gerrymanders
the electorate may punish them if they gerrymander too brazenly — W.K.Hancock