plebiscite

UK: /ˈplɛbɪsɪt/ US: /ˈplɛbəˌsaɪt, -sɪt/ ,(pleb′ə sīt′, -sit)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pleb•i•scite /ˈplɛbəˌsaɪt, -sɪt/   n. [countable]

1. Government a direct vote of the qualified voters of a state in regard to some important public question.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pleb•i•scite  (pleb′ə sīt′, -sit), n. 

1. Government a direct vote of the qualified voters of a state in regard to some important public question.
2. Government the vote by which the people of a political unit determine autonomy or affiliation with another country.

• Latin plēbīscītum decree of the plebs, equivalent. to plēbī (for plēbis, plēbēī genitive singular of plēbs, plēbēs plebs) + scītum resolution, decree, noun, nominal use of neuter of scītus, past participle of scīscere to enact, decree, origin, originally, to seek to know, learn, inchoative of scīre to know
• French
• 1525–35

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

plebiscite / ˈplɛbɪˌsaɪt -sɪt/ noun

1. a direct vote by the electorate of a state, region, etc on some question of usually national importance, such as union with another state or acceptance of a government programme
2. any expression or determination of public opinion on some matter

See also referendumEtymology: 16th Century: from Old French plēbiscite, from Latin plēbiscītum decree of the people, from plēbs the populace + scītum, from scīscere to decree, approve, from scīre to know

plebiscitary / pləˈbɪsɪtərɪ/ adjective