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

The country switched to a mixed member proportional system in 1996, which means people vote for both the party and a local constituency candidate. — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Nov. 2026

That explains why anti-corruption played such a central role in Democratic campaigns this cycle, with candidates accusing their Republican opponents of looking out for themselves or their donors rather than a broader constituency. — Seung Min Kim, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

Democrats from across the political spectrum from Wichita to Williamsburg were elected with vastly different constituencies and expectations for what comes next. — Evan Thies, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026

The candidates also competed aggressively for black voters, another constituency with significant political influence in Michigan. — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see constitute

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing constituency

• multi-member 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