referendum
noun
the principle or practice of referring measures proposed or passed by a legislative body, head of state, etc., to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection.
referenda
-
pluralof referendum.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Quebec, a majority French-speaking province, fiercely protects its identity and its culture as a distinct society, and has twice held referenda - in 1980 and 1995 - on whether to seek independence.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
State referenda can be difficult to poll, but surveys say Maine on Tuesday might have a couple of squeakers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2025
Berlin, Hamburg and the Ruhr region are also developing bids, with referenda to be held in 2026.
From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2025
Such referenda are sometimes used to boost voter turnout, though results don’t carry the weight of law.
From Seattle Times ● May 14, 2023
In referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.
From The 2001 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency
