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referendum - 8 dictionary results
ref⋅er⋅en⋅dum
[ref-uh-ren-duh
m] 
–noun, plural -dums, -da [-duh] .
[-duh] . | 1. | the principle or practice of referring measures proposed or passed by a legislative body to the vote of the electorate for approval or rejection. Compare initiative (def. 4a). |
| 2. | a measure thus referred. |
| 3. | a vote on such a measure. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Link To referendum
| ref·er·en·dum (rěf'ə-rěn'dəm) n. pl. ref·er·en·dums or ref·er·en·da (-də)
[Latin, neuter gerundive of referre, to refer; see refer.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Referendum
Ref`er*en"dum\, n.; pl. -da. [Gerundive fr. L. referre. See Refer.] 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.Referendum
Ref`er*en"dum\ (r?f`?r*?n"d?m), n. [Gerundive fr. L. referre. See Refer.]1. A diplomatic agent's note asking for instructions from his government concerning a particular matter or point. 2. The right to approve or reject by popular vote a meassure passed upon by a legislature.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : referendum
Spanish:
referéndum,
German:
der Volksentscheid,
Japanese:
国民投票
referendum [(ref-uh-ren-duhm)]
A vote by the general public, rather than by governmental bodies, on a bill or some other important issue; a plebiscite. (See under “American Politics.”)
referendum [(ref-uh-ren-duhm)]
A direct popular vote on an issue of public policy, such as a proposed amendment to a state constitution or a proposed law. Referendums, which allow the general population to participate in policymaking, are not used at the national level, but are common at the state and local levels. A referendum is often used to gauge popular approval or rejection of laws recently passed or under consideration by a state legislature. A referendum can also be used to initiate legislative action.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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referendum
1847, "submitting a question to the voters as a whole" (originally chiefly in reference to Switzerland), from Fr. or Ger., from L. referendum "that which must be referred," lit. "thing brought back," from neut. gerundive of referre "to bring or take back" (see refer). As a gerundive, it has no plural in Latin; referendums is preferred in Eng.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: ref·er·en·dum
Pronunciation: "r&-f&-'ren-d&m
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -da /-d&/ or -dums
Etymology: New Latin, from Latin, neuter of referendus, gerundive of referre to refer
: the submission to popular vote of a measure passed on or proposed by a legislative body or by popular initiative; also : the popular vote on a measure so submitted
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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