This week’s theme
American eponyms

This week’s words
bork
John Hancock
Benedict Arnold
McCarthyism
gerrymander


Modern gerrymandering
America’s most gerrymandered districts

This week’s comments
AWADmail 764

Next week’s theme
Origin unknown

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(JER-i-MAN-duhr)

MEANING:

verb tr.: To repartition an area in order to create electoral districts that give an unfair advantage to a political party.
noun: An instance of gerrymandering.

ETYMOLOGY:

A blend of Elbridge Gerry and salamander. Massachusetts Governor Gerry’s party rearranged the electoral district boundaries and someone fancied the newly redistricted Essex County resembled a salamander. A cartoon showing the district in the shape of a salamander appeared in March 1812 issue of the Federalist newspaper. Earliest documented use: 1812.

USAGE:

“The Italian people treated [Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s] attempt to gerrymander the political system with the respect it deserved -- forcing Renzi’s resignation.”
Ross Clark; Italy’s Referendum Is Proof that Anti-EU Sentiment Is Not Confined to the UK; Express (London, UK); Dec 6, 2016.

See more usage examples of gerrymander in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: