constituency

noun

con·​stit·​u·​en·​cy kən-ˈsti-chə-wən(t)-sē 

-ˈstich-, 

-ˈsti-chü-ən(t)-

plural constituencies

1

a

: a body of citizens entitled to elect a representative (as to a legislative or executive position)

the governor's liberal constituency

b

: the residents in an electoral district

The senator's constituency includes a large minority population.

c

: an electoral district

2

a

: a group or body that patronizes, supports, or offers representation

… creating … a grass-roots constituency for continuing the project …

—Fred Reed

b

: the people involved in or served by an organization (such as a business or institution)

… regards its corporate customers as its prime constituency.

—Andrew Hacker

Examples of constituency in a Sentence

The senator's constituency includes a large minority population.

He was elected to represent a Liverpool constituency.

Recent Examples on the Web

These politicians, however, listen only to county commissioners and legacy ranchers, not to a much broader constituency. —Stephen Trimble, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026

For its candidates in each of Hungary's 106 individual voting constituencies, Tisza has largely drawn on political neophytes locally active as entrepreneurs, doctors, economists, educators and other professionals. —Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026

In the mid-2010s, Steve Bannon, then the chairman of Breitbart News, began to see these people as a viable political constituency. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2026

Advertisement However, alongside casting constituency and party ballots, Thais also voted in a referendum on whether to draft a new constitution, with preliminary tallies suggesting some 65% had voted in favor. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see constitute

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing constituency

• multimember constituency
• single-member constituency

Kids Definition

constituency

noun

con·​stit·​u·​en·​cy kən-ˈstich-(ə-)wən-sē 

plural constituencies

1

: a body of citizens having the right to elect a representative to a legislature

2

: the people living in an electoral district

3

: an electoral district

Legal Definition

constituency

noun

con·​stit·​u·​en·​cy kən-ˈsti-chə-wən-sē 

plural constituencies

1

: a body of citizens entitled to elect a representative (as to a legislative or executive office)

2

: the residents in an electoral district

3

: an electoral district