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

Etymology

Origin of referendum

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

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

Back in High River, a town that has served as the backdrop for television shows such as HBO’s “The Last of Us” and FX’s “Fargo,” Shae Morris plans to vote for a binding referendum.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Smith has paved the way for a referendum on Oct.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Gibraltar voted by 96 percent to remain in the EU in Britain's 2016 Brexit referendum.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

Yes Scotland Ltd, which was launched by former SNP leader and First Minister Alex Salmond to campaign for independence ahead of the referendum, has not been active since 2014.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

The suffragists complained that the referendum wasn’t binding, and the antis complained that they were expected to vote in order to show that they didn’t want the vote.

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

Among the hundreds of referenda passed across the country in the midterm elections, voters in four states approved provisions making slavery and involuntary servitude unconstitutional.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 30, 2022

Voting in most kind of referenda and elections has consistently declined since a high point in the 1970s.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2022

Suffrage for men and suffrage for women in other lands, with few and minor exceptions, has been granted by parliamentary act and not by referenda.

From Woman Suffrage By Federal Constitutional Amendment by Catt, Carrie Chapman

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

From Slate ● Feb. 24, 2026

The passage of three referendums should ease city approval for new housing developments.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2025

"I think that deliberation, whether spread broadly in the schools or before national elections, before referendums, before initiatives, could become part of everyday life."

From Salon ● Jun. 14, 2025

Only about half of the 78 referendums held in Italy since World War Two have attracted enough votes to make them binding.

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2025

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

Related Words

• election
• poll
• vote