proportional representation

noun

: an electoral system in which the number of seats held by a political group or party in a legislative body is determined by the number of popular votes received

Examples of proportional representation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the 2025 constitutional changes specifically tying 40 new proportional representation seats directly on the presidential vote has the potential to offset those losses. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 29 July 2026

Perhaps the most powerful antigerontocratic reform is to get rid of winner-take-all elections and adopt a system like proportional representation. — Peter Gosselin, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

With proportional representation, there’d be no more Congress members waltzing into office without competition. — Mary Ellen Klas, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026

Any other outcome would depart from the principle of proportional representation. — Bruce Sibley, Time, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for proportional representation

• deinstitutionalization
• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration