plebiscite

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: pleb=i=scite

CIDE DICTIONARY

plebiscite, n. [F. plébiscite, fr. L. plebiscitum.].

 A vote by universal male suffrage; especially, in France, a popular vote, as first sanctioned by the National Constitution of 1791.  [1913 Webster]
"Plebiscite we have lately taken, in popular use, from the French."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

plebiscite, n.
1 the direct vote of all the electors of a State etc. on an important public question, e.g. a change in the constitution.
2 the public expression of a community's opinion, with or without binding force.
3 Rom.Hist. a law enacted by the plebeians' assembly.

Derivative

plebiscitary adj.

Etymology

F pl{eacute}biscite f. L plebiscitum f. plebs plebis the common people + scitum decree f. sciscere vote for

DEVIL DICTIONARY

plebiscite

n. A popular vote to ascertain the will of the sovereign.

THESAURUS

plebiscite

Australian ballot, Hare system, aye, ballot, canvass, canvassing, casting vote, constitutional referendum, counting heads, cumulative voting, deciding vote, direct initiative, division, enfranchisement, facultative referendum, fagot vote, franchise, graveyard vote, hand vote, indirect initiative, initiative, list system, mandate, mandatory referendum, nay, no, nontransferable vote, plebiscitum, plumper, plural vote, poll, polling, preferential voting, proportional representation, proxy, recall, record vote, referendum, representation, right to vote, rising vote, say, secret ballot, show of hands, single vote, snap vote, statutory referendum, straw vote, suffrage, transferable vote, viva voce, voice, voice vote, vote, voting, voting right, write-in, write-in vote, yea, yeas and nays, yes

ROGET THESAURUS

plebiscite

Politics

N politics, political science, candidacy, campaign, campaigning, electioneering, partisanship, ideology, factionalism, election, poll, ballot, vote, referendum, recall, initiative, voice, suffrage, plumper, cumulative vote, plebiscitum, plebiscite, vox populi, electioneering, voting, elective franchise, straight ticket, opinion poll, popularity poll, issue, opinion, stand, position, program, platform, party line, democracy, republicanism, communism, statism, state socialism, socialism, conservatism, toryism, liberalism, whigism, theocracy, constitutional monarchy, party, Democratic Party, Republican Party, Socialist Party, Communist Party, Federalist Party, Bull Moose Party, Abolitionist Party, Christian Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party, National Socialist Worker's Party, Nazi Party, Liberal Party, Labor Party, Conservative Party, ticket, slate, politician activist, candidate, aspirant, hopeful, office-seeker, front- runner, dark horse, long shot, shoo-in, supporter, backer, political worker, campaign worker, lobbyist, contributor, party hack, ward heeler, regional candidate, favorite son, running mate, stalking horse, perpetual candidate, political animal, political contribution, campaign contribution, political action committee, PAC, political district, electoral division, electoral district, bailiwick, electorate, constituents, get-out-the-vote campaign, political education, negative campaigning, dirty politics, smear campaign, also-ran, loser, has-been, office holder, official, occupant of a position, public servant, incumbent, winner, political, partisan, Money is the mother's milk of politics.

Command

N command, order, ordinance, act, fiat, hukm, bidding, dictum, hest, behest, call, beck, nod, despatch, dispatch, message, direction, injunction, charge, instructions, appointment, fixture, demand, exaction, imposition, requisition, claim, reclamation, revendication, ultimatum, request, requirement, dictation, dictate, mandate, caveat, decree, senatus consultum, precept, prescript, rescript, writ, ordination, bull, ex cathedra pronouncement, edict, decretal, dispensation, prescription, brevet, placit, ukase, ukaz, firman, hatti- sherif, warrant, passport, mittimus, mandamus, summons, subpoena, nisi prius, interpellation, citation, word, word of command, mot d'ordre, bugle call, trumpet call, beat of drum, tattoo, order of the day, enactment, plebiscite, commanding, authoritative, decretory, decretive, decretal, callable, jussive, in a commanding tone, by a stroke of the pen, by a dash of the pen, by order, at beat of drum, on the first summons, the decree is gone forth, sic volo sic jubeo, le Roi le veut, boutez en avant.

Legality

N legality, legitimacy, legitimateness, legislature, law, code, corpus juris, constitution, pandect, charter, enactment, statute, rule, canon, ordinance, institution, regulation, bylaw, byelaw, decree, ordonnance, standing order, plebiscite, legal process, form, formula, formality, rite, arm of the law, habeas corpus, fieri facias, jurisprudence, nomology, legislation, codification, equity, common law, lex, lex nonscripta, law of nations, droit des gens, international law, jus gentium, jus civile, civil law, canon law, crown law, criminal law, statute law, ecclesiastical law, administrative law, lex mercatoria, constitutionalism, constitutionality, justice, court, tribunal, judge, lawyer, attorney, legal counsel, legal, legitimate, according to law, vested, constitutional, chartered, legalized, lawful, statutable, statutory, legislatorial, legislative, regulatory, regulated, legally, in the eye of the law, de jure, ignorantia legis neminem excusat, ignorance of the law is no excuse, where law ends tyranny begins.

Judgment

N judgment, result, conclusion, upshot, deduction, inference, ergotism, illation, corollary, porism, moral, estimation, valuation, appreciation, judication, dijudication, adjudication, arbitrament, arbitrement, arbitration, assessment, ponderation, valorization, award, estimate, review, criticism, critique, notice, report, decision, determination, judgment, finding, verdict, sentence, decree, findings of fact, findings of law, res judicata, plebiscite, voice, casting vote, vote, opinion, good judgment, judge, umpire, arbiter, arbitrator, asessor, referee, censor, reviewer, critic, connoisseur, commentator, inspector, inspecting officer, twenty-twenty hindsight, armchair general, monday morning quarterback, judging, judicious, determinate, conclusive, on the whole, all things considered, a Daniel come to judgment, and stand a critic, hated yet caress'd, it is much easier to be critical than to be correc, la critique est aisee et l'art est difficile, nothing if not critical, O most lame and impotent conclusion.