referendum

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: ref=er=en=dum

CIDE DICTIONARY

referendum, n. [Gerundive fr. L. referre. See Refer.].

•  A diplomatic agent's note asking for instructions from his government concerning a particular matter or point.  [1913 Webster]
•  The right to approve or reject by popular vote a meassure passed upon by a legislature.  [1913 Webster]
•  The principle or practice of referring measures passed upon by the legislative body to the body of voters, or electorate, for approval or rejection, as in the Swiss cantons (except Freiburg) and in various local governments in the United States, and also in the local option laws, etc.; also, the right to so approve or reject laws, or the vote by which this is done. Referendum is distinguished from the mandate, or instruction of representatives by the people, from direct government by the people, in which they initiate and make the laws by direct action without representation, and from a plebiscite, or popular vote taken on any measure proposed by a person or body having the initiative but not constituting a representative or constituent body.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

referendum, n. (pl. referendums or referenda)
1 the process of referring a political question to the electorate for a direct decision by general vote.
2 a vote taken by referendum.

Etymology

L, gerund or neut. gerundive of referre: see REFER

DEVIL DICTIONARY

referendum

n. A law for submission of proposed legislation to a popular vote to learn the nonsensus of public opinion.

THESAURUS

referendum

Australian ballot, Hare system, aye, ballot, by-election, canvass, canvassing, casting vote, caucus, closed primary, congressional election, constitutional referendum, contested election, counting heads, cumulative voting, deciding vote, direct initiative, direct primary, division, election, enfranchisement, facultative referendum, fagot vote, franchise, general election, graveyard vote, hand vote, indirect initiative, initiative, list system, mandate, mandatory primary, mandatory referendum, nay, no, nonpartisan primary, nontransferable vote, open primary, optional primary, partisan election, plebiscite, plebiscitum, plumper, plural vote, poll, polling, preference primary, preferential voting, presidential election, presidential preference primary, presidential primary, primary, primary election, proportional representation, proxy, recall, record vote, representation, right to vote, rising vote, runoff, runoff election, runoff primary, 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

referendum

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.