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

Whole Foods becomes a referendum on whether a neighborhood has arrived.

From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026

They were told a referendum would cost £375,000 to organise.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Though he did not dispute the validity of the signatures, he argued, ultimately unsuccessfully, that acts of the Missouri Legislature that related to congressional districts simply were not subject to the people’s referendum power.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

The Piddington referendum was a play on the British comedy film "Passport to Pimlico".

From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026

He stated that if the referendum was defeated, he would resign from office.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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

Such referenda are sometimes used to boost voter turnout, though results don’t carry the weight of law.

From Seattle Times ● May 14, 2023

As a result 33 referenda were held, all giving favorable majorities, and about 160 other municipal governments memorialized the Ontario Legislature in favor.

From The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume VI by Ida Husted Harper

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

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

Maria Steen is a barrister and campaigner on social issues, who opposed the legalisation of same-sex marriage and abortion during referendums in the last decade.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 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