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Plebiscite: meaning, definitions and examples

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plebiscite

 

[ ˈplɛbɪsʌɪt ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

political process

A plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is invited to accept or refuse a proposal. It is usually used in a political context to determine public opinion on important issues.

Synonyms

ballot, poll, referendum.

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Word Description / Examples
plebiscite

Used in formal or legal contexts to describe a direct vote by the electorate on an important public question, such as a change in the constitution.

  • The government held a plebiscite to decide on the new constitution
  • The results of the plebiscite showed overwhelming support for the change
referendum

Typically used to describe a direct vote by the electorate on a specific proposal or issue, often initiated by the government or another political body.

  • The country held a referendum to decide whether to join the economic union
  • The referendum results showed that the majority of voters were in favor of the proposal
ballot

Used in general contexts to refer to the method by which votes are cast in an election or referendum, often involving the use of a paper or electronic system.

  • Voters cast their ballots in the local election
  • The results of the ballot were announced the following day
poll

Used in both formal and informal contexts to describe the process of voting in an election or survey, or as a method to gauge public opinion.

  • The exit polls suggested a close race between the candidates
  • We conducted a poll to see how popular the new policy was among the citizens

Examples of usage

  • The government decided to hold a plebiscite to let the people decide on the new tax law.
  • In some countries, a plebiscite is required to make major constitutional changes.

Translations

Translations of the word "plebiscite" in other languages:

🇵🇹 plebiscito

🇮🇳 जनमत संग्रह

🇩🇪 Volksabstimmung

🇮🇩 plebisit

🇺🇦 плебісцит

🇵🇱 plebiscyt

🇯🇵 国民投票 (kokumin tōhyō)

🇫🇷 plébiscite

🇪🇸 plebiscito

🇹🇷 halk oylaması

🇰🇷 국민투표 (gukmin tuphyo)

🇸🇦 استفتاء (istifta')

🇨🇿 plebiscit

🇸🇰 plebiscit

🇨🇳 公民投票 (gōngmín tóupiào)

🇸🇮 plebiscit

🇮🇸 þjóðaratkvæðagreiðsla

🇰🇿 плебисцит

🇬🇪 პლებისციტი (plebisciti)

🇦🇿 plebisit

🇲🇽 plebiscito

Etymology

The term 'plebiscite' originated from the Latin word 'plebiscitum', which literally means a decree of the plebs (common people). It has been used historically to gauge public opinion on important matters and has played a significant role in democratic processes around the world.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #20,183, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.