Dictionary

plebiscite en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /-sɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈplɛbɪsaɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈplɛbəˌsaɪt/ (General-American)

Etymology

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)

Meanings

1. 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.
   • 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. 1909, George Willis Botsford, The Roman Assemblies from Their Origin to the End of the Republic:
   • 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. 1984 July 15, John Vinocur, “A SULLEN, DISILLUSIONED FRANCE MARKS BASTILLE DAY”, in The New York Times:
2. (broadly) An expression of the public's views on an issue, whether legally binding or not.
3. (Ancient-Rome, historical) 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”).

Forms

Deriveds

plebiscitary · plebiscitic

Synonyms

referendum · plebiscitum

Translations (48)

de Volksabstimmung (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · it plebiscito (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · ms plebisit (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · hi जनमतसंग्रह (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · fr plébiscite (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · th ประชามติ (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · ru рефере́ндум (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · tr reyiâm (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · ckb پرسیاری مللی (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · de Plebiszit (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · tl plebisito (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · nl plebisciet (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · da folkeafstemning (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · ru плебисци́т (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · hi राय-शुमारी (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · mk ја́вно ми́слење (expression of the public’s views on an issue, whether legally binding or not) · pt plebiscito (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · ja 国民投票 (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · pam plebisitu (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · fa نظرخواهی (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · cmn 公民投票 (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · pl plebiscyt (expression of the public’s views on an issue, whether legally binding or not) · cs plebiscit (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · fo fólkaatkvøða (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · nl referendum (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · ast plebiscitu (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · lo ປະຊາມະຕິ (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · is þjóðaratkvæðagreiðsla (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · hi जनमत-संग्रह (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · ko 국민투표 (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · sv folkomröstning (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · ro plebiscit (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · pl plebiscyt (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · is þjóðaratkvæði (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · el δημοψήφισμα (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · fi kansan mielipide (expression of the public’s views on an issue, whether legally binding or not) · ka პლებისციტი (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · he משאל עם (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · cmn 公投 (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · hi रायशुमारी (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · mk рефере́ндум (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · fi kansanäänestys (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · es plebiscito (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · ur رائے شُماری (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · ga pobalbhreith (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · id plebisit (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · mk пле́бисцит (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum) · se álbmotjienasteapmi (direct popular vote on an issue of public importance — see also referendum)