plebiscite

American  

[pleb-uh-sahyt, -sit] / ˈplɛb əˌsaɪt, -sɪt /

noun

• plebiscites
  plural

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

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

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plebiscite British  

/ pləˈbɪsɪtərɪ, ˈplɛbɪˌsaɪt, -sɪt /

noun

1. 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

2. any expression or determination of public opinion on some matter

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plebiscite Cultural  

1. 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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• plebiscitary
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• plebiscites
  plural

Etymology

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, originally, to seek to know, learn, inchoative of scīre to know

Explanation

A plebiscite is a direct vote by eligible voters to decide an important public question, such as a change to the constitution, secession, or a similar issue of national or regional importance. The word plebiscite comes from the Latin word plebiscitum, meaning "a decree of the people," with the roots plebs, "the common people," and scitum, "decree." A plebiscite can also be called a referendum. Periodically, for example, Quebec separatists hold a plebiscite to determine whether Quebec should secede from Canada. So far, the secessionists have not prevailed at the polls.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

plebiscite plebiscites

Still, investors remain nervous about the fallout from Thursday’s plebiscite.

From MarketWatch ● May 6, 2026

In the daily plebiscite on America, this Ivy League historian votes “Yes, but.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026

The UN recommended holding a plebiscite to settle the question of whether the state would join India or Pakistan.

From BBC ● May 7, 2025

History is not a plebiscite in which 50% of the current population decides what’s true and important.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2024

Dr. Keyhole was to offer his journalistic services in organizing an Academic plebiscite, a suggestion which was to have exasperated Mr. Gosse to the pitch of a gleaming silence.

From Boon, The Mind of the Race, The Wild Asses of the Devil, and The Last Trump; Being a First Selection from the Literary Remains of George Boon, Appropriate to the Times by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)

In spite of those setbacks, voters in other car-centric cities, like Austin and Los Angeles, have used plebiscites to back mass transit in the past.

From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2024

Formerly German territories awarded to Poland and Denmark had Danish- and Polish-speaking majorities who voted decisively in League of Nations plebiscites that they did not wish to remain with Germany.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2023

None of the plebiscites has been binding, however, and turnout has often been low, amid boycotts by critics who support the status quo or independence.

From New York Times ● Dec. 15, 2022

After plebiscites in 1983, one island chain became the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, thereby remaining part of the United States, adjacent to Guam, long a U.S. territory.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 12, 2022

“Write that down, Adah. If we don’t boil our water for thirty full minutes we’ll get plebiscites and what not.”

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• election
• poll
• polling
• referendum
• slate
• tally
• ticket