referendum

American  

[ref-uh-ren-duhm] / ˌrɛf əˈrɛn dəm /

noun

• referendums,
  plural
• referenda
  plural

1. 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.

2. a measure thus referred.

3. a vote on such a measure.

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referendum British  

/ ˌrɛfəˈrɛndəm /

noun

1. submission of an issue of public importance to the direct vote of the electorate

2. a vote on such a measure

3. a poll of the members of a club, union, or other group to determine their views on some matter

4. a diplomatic official's note to his government requesting instructions

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referendum ¹ Cultural  

1. A vote by the general public, rather than by governmental bodies, on a bill or some other important issue; a plebiscite. (See under “American Politics.”)

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referendum ² Cultural  

1. A direct popular vote on an issue of public policy, such as a proposed amendment to a state constitution or a proposed law. Referendums, which allow the general population to participate in policymaking, are not used at the national level, but are common at the state and local levels. A referendum is often used to gauge popular approval or rejection of laws recently passed or under consideration by a state legislature. A referendum can also be used to initiate legislative action.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• referenda
  plural
• referendums
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of referendum

1840–50; < Latin: “(thing) to be referred” (neuter gerundive of referre “to bring back”; see refer)

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Explanation

A referendum is a direct vote by the people on a specific proposal, law, or political issue. It's often part of a larger election. On many issues, our elected representatives argue, negotiate, and make a law, but sometimes there's a referendum — the issue is put directly to the people for a vote as part of an election. Usually, a referendum is a yes or no question. Smaller groups can have referendums, too — like a school system deciding whether or not to have school uniforms or a longer school year.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

referendum referenda referendums

On Monday, Alberta will hold a nonbinding referendum on whether residents of the province want to remain part of Canada.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

If a majority votes to stay, Smith says she won't approve another referendum.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

The prime minister did not go into further detail about the nature or extent of Russian activities during the 2016 referendum.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

With a referendum, they have just 30 days.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Of about 612,000 women who were eligible to vote in the referendum, only about 7 percent registered and only about 4 percent voted.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

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

The report acknowledges that any constitutional change is a long way off, and would likely require a combination of petitions, referenda and legislation by the Scottish and U.K. governments.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 3, 2023

Rules are different for referenda, which seek to overturn laws, than for ballot initiatives that seek to enact them.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 7, 2022

The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.

From The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

McOsker said the change makes the number of signatures needed for referendums and voter initiatives consistent in the city charter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

The Welsh Conservatives said they would "cap council tax increases at 5% and require local referendums for any larger rises" giving residents "the power to approve or block excessive council tax rises".

From BBC ● Mar. 15, 2026

According to the Washington Policy Center, the Washington Legislature Bill Drafting Guide says that a “necessity clause” or “emergency clause” protects legislation against voter referendums.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026

Speaking of referendums, how about one to eliminate the State of the Union?

From Slate ● Feb. 24, 2026

On the ballot in November 1867, the men in Kansas faced two referendums, one that deleted the word “white” from the description of voters and a second that deleted the word “male.”

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

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Related Words

• election
• poll
• vote

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