referendum

referendum — noun

1. an event in which every adult citizen in a region or nation has the chance to vo

1.nounB2
Definition

an event in which every adult citizen in a region or nation has the chance to vote yes or no on a specific political question, such as whether to change the constitution or adopt a new law

Example

The government decided to hold a national referendum on the proposed constitutional changes.

collocation: hold a referendum on [topic]

Voters in Switzerland often take part in referendums on local and national issues.

collocation: take part in a referendum

Common collocations
  • hold a referendum
  • call a referendum
  • vote in a referendum
  • the result of a referendum
  • a referendum on [an issue]
  • a national referendum
Synonyms
  • plebiscite

    more formal term, often used for a yes-or-no vote that approves or rejects a government's decision or policy

  • public vote

    less formal, broader in meaning; can refer to any vote taken by the general public, not only on constitutional matters

  • ballot measure

    chiefly American English; refers to the specific proposal placed on a ballot for voters to approve or reject

Grammar Patterns

hold/call a referendum on [topic]

vote in a referendum

Usage Note

Countable noun. The most common plural in modern English is referendums; the Latin plural referenda is also used but is far less frequent. A referendum asks citizens to vote yes or no on a single specific question — unlike an election, which chooses a person for office.

Common Mistakes

The country held a referendum to choose a new president.
The country held an election to choose a new president.
referendums decide on policy questions, not candidates.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Referendum is the most common term for a direct vote by all eligible citizens on a specific political question. Plebiscite is a close synonym but carries a more formal tone, often used for approval of a government's major decision (e.g., a peace treaty or constitutional change). Public vote is a looser, everyday expression that can describe any vote open to the general public, not only on high-stakes issues. Ballot measure is primarily used in the United States to refer to a specific proposal — such as a tax reform or social policy — that appears on a ballot alongside candidate elections. For example: 'California's ballot measure on rent control passed by a narrow margin.'

plebiscitepublic voteballot measure

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • hold a referendum
  • call a referendum
  • vote in a referendum
  • the outcome of a referendum

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Referendum comes directly from Latin, where it means 'that which must be referred' — the neutral gerund of referre ('to carry back, to refer'). The word entered English political vocabulary in the mid-19th century alongside the rise of modern democratic practices in Switzerland and the United States. The idea is that a question is 'referred' back to the people for a final decision.