single-member district

noun

sin·​gle-mem·​ber district ˈsiŋ-gəl-ˈmem-bər- How to pronounce single-member district (audio)
variants or less commonly single-member constituency
: an electoral district or constituency having a single representative in a legislative body rather than two or more
In its first case declaring multimember districts unconstitutional in 1973, the Supreme Court declared that the Texas system of electing state representatives from county multimember districts, rather than single-member districts, discriminated against African-Americans and Latinos.—Al Kauffman
compare multimember district

Examples of single-member district in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cities and counties were forced to redraw maps into single-member districts. — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026 Cities and counties were forced to redraw maps into single-member districts. — ABC News, 2 May 2026 The winner-takes-all system (single-member districts, plurality wins) naturally rewards concentration and punishes dispersion. — Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025 Congress did not exercise its power to nationalize election procedures until the Apportionment Act of 1842, which required all congressional elections to take place in contiguous, single-member districts rather than at-large elections. — Jeffrey Rosen, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for single-member district

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of single-member district was in 1874

Rhymes for single-member district

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Browse Nearby Words

single market
single-member district
single-minded
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Cite this Entry

“Single-member district.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single-member%20district. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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