electorate

noun elec·tor·ate \ i-ˈlek-t(ə-)rət \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of electorate

1 : the territory, jurisdiction, or dignity of a German elector

2 : a body of people entitled to vote

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Recent Examples of electorate from the Web

The African American exodus has been especially pronounced, with blacks composing less than 4 percent of the city electorate, a lower share than statewide.

— scott wilson, Washington Post, "In San Francisco, three candidates race to make history," 5 Apr. 2018
Both Orr and Hernandez estimated younger voters would make up a smaller slice of the electorate in their jurisdictions, a pattern that’s consistent with historical trends.

— juan perez jr., chicagotribune.com, "Estimates of voter turnout in Chicago, Cook County ‘disappointing,’ official says," 21 Mar. 2018
While that particular bill didn’t address the sins of vulture capitalism, what’s clear is this: Despite a financial meltdown and populist unrest among the American electorate, Washington is still in total thrall to Wall Street.

— will bunch, Philly.com, "Vulture hedge-fund capitalism still devouring U.S. jobs. Will we ever do something? | Will Bunch," 20 Mar. 2018
According to Wylie, Bannon hoped to use that research and replicate it on a massive scale across the American electorate to buoy his influence campaign in 2014 and again in the 2016 presidential campaign.

— phil mccausland, NBC News, "Cambridge Analytica harvested data from millions of unsuspecting Facebook users," 17 Mar. 2018
Meanwhile at an exclusive gathering overseas, Hillary Clinton took un-presidential cheap shots at large swathes of the American electorate.

— james freeman, WSJ, "Miss Me Yet?," 13 Mar. 2018
My calculation is that risk is higher unless the electorate — white and black — is aware and decides that issue is important to them.

— phillip m. bailey, The Courier-Journal, "Black lawmakers worry legislative seat could go white and lower minority representation," 7 Mar. 2018
These numbers show remarkable agreement across the electorate, the kind not seen very often these days.

— martin vassolo and david smiley, miamiherald, "Majority of Florida voters favor assault-weapons ban, oppose guns in classrooms, polls say | Miami Herald," 28 Feb. 2018
For for too long, the majority of the American electorate has accepted gun violence as a horrific inevitability endowed by the powers that be.

— lauren duca, Teen Vogue, "High Schoolers Getting Political Should Come as No Surprise," 23 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'electorate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of electorate

1620

Other Government and Politics Terms

agent provocateur, agitprop, autarky, cabal, egalitarianism, federalism, hegemony, plenipotentiary, popular sovereignty, socialism

ELECTORATE Defined for English Language Learners

electorate

noun

Definition of electorate for English Language Learners

: the people who can vote in an election

Law Dictionary

electorate

noun elec·tor·ate

legal Definition of electorate

: a body of people entitled to vote

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Spanish Central: Translation of electorate Nglish: Translation of electorate for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of electorate for Arabic speakers

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electorate

Definition of electorate

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ELECTORATE Defined for English Language Learners

electorate

Definition of electorate for English Language Learners

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electorate

legal Definition of electorate

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