plebiscite

[pleb-uh-sahyt, -sit]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR plebiscite ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a direct vote of the qualified voters of a state in regard to some important public question.

the vote by which the people of a political unit determine autonomy or affiliation with another country.

Origin of plebiscite

1525–35; < French < Latin plēbīscītum decree of the plebs, equivalent to plēbī (for plēbis, plēbēī genitive singular of plēbs, plēbēs plebs) + scītum resolution, decree, noun use of neuter of scītus, past participle of scīscere to enact, decree, orig., to seek to know, learn, inchoative of scīre to know

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for plebiscite

slate, tally, referendum, election, ticket, poll, choice, majority, ballot, franchise, yea, wish, suffrage, will, nay, aye

Examples from the Web for plebiscite

Contemporary Examples of plebiscite

The government in Kiev has denounced the plebiscite as a “criminal farce.”
Inside Putin's Rigged Ukraine Election
Jamie Dettmer
May 12, 2014
And yet her call for a plebiscite smacks as much of political despair than a statesman's conviction.
Dilma Rousseff’s Dilemma
Mac Margolis
July 7, 2013

Historical Examples of plebiscite

When there's no time for a plebiscite, there's always time for a pistol.'
Lord Kilgobbin
Charles Lever
Sure enough, there came the émeute of the plebiscite, as he had predicted, but it was suppressed.
Memoirs
Charles Godfrey Leland
The formality of a plebiscite was accomplished by November 21.
A History of the Nineteenth Century, Year by Year
Edwin Emerson
Is there a single intelligent Liberal who is not against that plebiscite?
The Parisians, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Let the emeute be within, say a week, after the vote of the plebiscite is taken.
The Parisians, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton

British Dictionary definitions for plebiscite

plebiscite

noun

a direct vote by the electorate of a state, region, etc, on some question of usually national importance, such as union with another state or acceptance of a government programme

any expression or determination of public opinion on some matter

Word Origin for plebiscite

C16: from Old French plēbiscite, from Latin plēbiscītum decree of the people, from plēbs the populace + scītum, from scīscere to decree, approve, from scīre to know

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for plebiscite

"direct vote of the people," 1860 (originally in reference to Italian unification), from French plébiscite (1776 in modern sense, originally with reference to Switzerland), from Latin plebiscitum "a decree or resolution of the people," from plebs (genitive plebis) "the common people" (see plebeian (adj.)) + scitum "decree," noun use of neuter past participle of sciscere "to assent, vote for, approve," inchoative of scire "to know" (see science). Used earlier (1530s) in a purely Roman historical context. Related: Plebiscitary.

plebiscite in Culture

plebiscite

[(pleb-uh-seyet, pleb-uh-suht)]

A vote of an entire nation or other large political unit on an issue of great importance. A plebiscite is not an election, for there are no candidates. Rather, people vote yes or no on a proposition.