Word
electorate
Phoneticselec·torate
US/ɪˈɫɛktɝət/
UK/ɪlˈɛktəɹˌeɪt/
Definitions
01the body of voters
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Law
n. all the people in a country or region who are allowed to vote.
n. the entire body of people qualified to vote in a given election or jurisdiction.
Español:electorado
“The candidate is trying to win over the younger part of the electorate.”
“Political analysts observed a significant shift in the electorate's priorities following the sudden economic downturn in the third quarter.”
Usage
Usually takes a singular verb, though it refers to a group of people.
Synonyms
02a voting district
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law British English · Dialect
n. a specific area that is represented by an elected official.
n. a geographical area or constituency represented by an elected member of parliament.
“He has lived in this electorate for over twenty years and knows the local issues well.”
“The boundaries of the electorate were redrawn to account for the rapid population growth in the western suburbs.”
Usage
Primarily used in Australia and New Zealand to mean 'constituency'.
Teaching tip
In American English, 'district' is used; in British English, 'constituency' is standard. This sense is specific to Australian and New Zealand English.
Synonyms
03historical German territory
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · Formal
n. the land or the position of a prince in the old Holy Roman Empire who helped choose the Emperor.
n. the territory or dignity of an Elector in the Holy Roman Empire.
“The Electorate of Hanover was an important territory in the eighteenth century.”
“The Golden Bull of 1356 formally defined the seven electorates whose rulers held the right to choose the King of the Romans.”
Usage
Used almost exclusively in historical contexts regarding European history.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“With an electorate of 211 Fifa members the rebels are far from certain they are close enough to getting the 106 votes required to oust Infantino.” “Like Stevens, he appealed to specific segments of the Democratic electorate in an attempt to assemble a winning coalition.” “They’re 50,000 of an electorate that has had its views skewed and its votes taken for granted time and time again.” Etymology
From elector (“person eligible to vote in an election; German prince entitled to elect the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire”) + -ate (forms nouns denoting a rank or office, the concrete charge of it).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/electorate
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0