plebiscite

CEFRC1

/ˈplɛbɪsaɪt/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A vote in which people decide an important public question.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    An expression of the public's views on an issue, whether legally binding or not.

Examples

  • A plebiscite or referendum is a direct popular vote on an issue.

  • Remember to vote in the upcoming plebiscite.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
2
Synonyms
2

Also pronounced

  • /-sɪt/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. Synonym of plebiscitum (“a law enacted by the common people, under the superintendence of a tribune or some subordinate plebeian magistrate, without the intervention of the senate”).

  2. A direct popular vote on an issue of public importance, such as an amendment to the constitution, a change in the sovereignty of the nation, or some government policy.

More examples

In context

  • Then something changed, and Mr. Mitterrand said he thought it would be a good idea if the Constitution allowed plebiscites, on the recommendation of the President, on issues involving personal freedoms.

  • A political result, we may also say aim, of the frumentarian plebiscite of Gaius was to disattach the city populace from its conservative moorings and to enlist it in the service of reform.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The government called for a blank to let the people decide the issue.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

Sense 1 (“referendum”) is borrowed from French plébiscite, from Latin plēbiscītum, plēbis scītum, plēbī scītum (“law of the common people or plebs”), from plēbis (the genitive singular of plēbs (“common people, plebeians”)) + scītum (“decree, ordinance, statute”). Sense 3 (“law enacted by the common people”) is a learned borrowing from Latin plēbiscītum: see above. It is attested earlier than English plebiscitum. Cognates * Italian plebiscito * Middle French plebiscite (modern French plébiscite) * Middle Low German plebiscīt (“ordinance”) * Spanish plebiscito, plebisçito (obsolete)