Other forms: referendums
A referendum is a vote in which the whole electorate answers one question directly. Hold a referendum, a referendum on the constitution, the referendum result.
The plural is referendums or referenda, and referendums is now more usual. Referendums may be binding or advisory, and which one it is often becomes the argument afterwards. Switzerland holds several a year; Britain has held three UK-wide. The single question is the defining feature and the main criticism: complicated matters get one yes or no. Note plebiscite, which means much the same thing.
1nounreferendumA vote where the whole electorate answers one question directly.
“The government held a referendum on whether to change the voting system.”
referendum is a public vote.
Latin referendum means that which must be referred back, from referre — re-, back, plus ferre, to carry. A referendum carries the question back to the people, which is exactly the constitutional idea.
Latin
referendus — that which ought to be announced
English, today
referendum
Built from
From Latin referendus (“that which ought to be announced”), from refero (“to announce”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA