referendum Hear it!

referendum Definition

ref·er·en·dum (ref′ə ren′dəm)

noun pl. -·dums or -·da-də

  1. ☆
    1. the submission of a law, proposed or already in effect, to a direct vote of the people, as in superseding or overruling the legislature
    2. the vote itself
  2. a note sent by a diplomatic agent to the agent's own government, asking for specific instructions

Etymology: ModL < L, a carrying back, ger. or neut. ger. of referre: see refer

referendum Synonyms

referendum

n.

election, poll, choice, plebiscite; see election 2, vote 2.

referendum Law Definition

n

A passing of responsibility for a piece of legislation, a constitutional amendment or some other public issue to the public at large to vote upon; the vote in such an issue. See also initiative.

referendum Usage Examples

Preposition: on

  • constitution: We also of course support a referendum on the European constitution.
  • euro: There are thus two major risks for the Labor government in contemplating a referendum on the euro.
  • devolution: It featured a tailor-made fifth pledge to Welsh and Scottish voters, offering them a referendum on devolution.
  • independence: The SNP in government will hold a referendum on Independence during the Parliament's first four year term.
  • currency: The Prime Minister continues to drop hints about a referendum on the single currency next year.

Modifies a noun

campaign: My family doesn't referendum campaign to budget schedule.

Adjective modifier

  • mayoral: Mayoral referendums are being held today in Plymouth and Harlow.
  • constitutional: When will the Bill on the European constitutional referendum be published?
  • Dutch: The French and Dutch referendums were a wake-up call.
  • Danish: Nor is the ' one-size-fits-all ' approach popular with the people of Europe, as the Danish euro referendum showed.
  • promised: Also coming up is a promised referendum on the European constitution.
  • forthcoming: The key theme of the meeting was the growing divide over our position on the forthcoming euro referendum.

Converse of object

  • hold: Take for example the peace referendum held on March 20.
  • postpone: The decision to postpone the referendum on the euro will also mean that the Convention gets an absolutely clear run in the next year.
  • boycott: The Catholic bishops had urged voters to boycott the referendum, which needed a 50 % turnout to be valid.

Noun used with modifier

  • devolution: At the time of the devolution referendum the CBI Scotland polled the 1200 Scottish company directors.
  • euro: How people vote in a euro referendum is not an issue for CA.
  • accession: Ms Fowler is involved in two comparative projects related to her thesis research, on the post-communist centre-right and the 2003 accession referendums.
  • recall: Electoral Battle Units formed to defend Chávez in the recall referendum of August 2004 have morphed into Endogenous Battle Units.
  • constitution: Tony Blair wants to fight and win the EU constitution referendum, leaving on a high.