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

Burnham, the former Mayor of Manchester, has said he wants to devolve more power to local areas around the UK, while the first minister has called for a second Scottish independence referendum by 2031.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

This effectively turns a Monte dei Paschi shareholder vote due to take place later this month into a referendum on the competing proposals, Pratas says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

To qualify a referendum for the ballot, petitioners must collect a number of signatures equal to 10% of the votes cast in the last mayoral election.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

A poll by Survation in June found that 55 percent of voters would opt to rejoin if a referendum was held again.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

In order to find out where women actually stood on the issue, in November 1895, Massachusetts conducted a nonbinding referendum.

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 law also forbids local communities from putting advisory referenda questions on the ballot, except those related to certain projects that would be funded with property tax money.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 20, 2023

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

Once more in the history of suffrage referenda a foreign and colonized population decided the issue.

From Woman Suffrage By Federal Constitutional Amendment by Carrie Chapman Catt

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

Public policy should provide honest information and good options, not turn parents’ choices into moral referendums.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026

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

From Slate ● Feb. 24, 2026

"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

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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