referendumref‧e‧ren‧dum /ˌrefəˈrendəm/ ●○○ noun (plural referenda /-də/ or referendums) [countable, uncountable] 
a referendum on independence The city council agreed to hold a referendum on the issue in November.► see thesaurus at election
WORD ORIGINreferendum
Origin:
1800-1900 Modern Latin, Latin referre; ➔ REFEREXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- How will you be voting in the referendum?
- The government has promised to hold a referendum and let the people choose.
- The Irish people voted 'no' in a referendum on divorce in 1986.
- After what he has now said about a referendum, he had better watch out.
- Another referendum was to be held on June 7 over the new constitution.
- If county officials confirm that 28, 084 are those of registered voters, a referendum will be held around May 1.
- If it is approved, 30-day period opens for anyone wishing to hold a referendum drive to overturn the deal.
- Najibullah proposed that a referendum be held in both government and mujaheddin-controlled areas to determine whether a ceasefire should be implemented.
- Of the 28 percent of the electorate who voted in the referendum, 53 percent supported the ban.
- On this view there is, to put it mildly, no urgency about a referendum.
- They also claimed that a national referendum would be impossible when so much of the country was under rebel control.
THESAURUS
an occasion when people choose a government or leader by voting: · the American presidential election· South Africa held its first multi-racial elections in 1994.
an occasion when the members of an organization vote by marking what they want on a piece of paper, especially to make sure that it is secret: · The result of the ballot showed that nurses were not in favour of a strike.
an occasion when everyone in a country votes on an important political subject: · In the Danish referendum, the people voted ‘no’ to joining the European single currency.
the process of voting in a political election – used especially in news reports: · 4,500,000 voters went to the polls in eight provinces to elect six governors.
an act of voting informally for something by the people in a group raising their hands: · May I have a show of hands from all those in favour of the proposal?
Longman Language Activatoran occasion when people vote when people vote to choose a government or leader: · It will be interesting to see what happens at the next election.hold an election: · South Africa held its first multi-racial elections in 1994.call an election (=to say officially that there will be an election): · The government may decide to call an election early.presidential/gubernatorial election (=an election to choose a president or governor): · America is preparing for the presidential elections, which will take place in two weeks' time.general election British (=an election to choose a government): · Taxation will be one of the major issues at the next general election.
relating to an election: · Support for electoral reform is growing.· This was the first of her many electoral successes.· Electoral systems vary from country to country.
when everyone in a country votes on a particular important political subject: · How will you be voting in the referendum?hold a referendum: · The government has promised to hold a referendum and let the people choose.referendum on: · The Irish people voted 'no' in a referendum on divorce in 1986.
when the members of an organization vote on something by marking what they want on a piece of paper, especially in order to make sure that it is secret: · The result of the ballot showed that nurses were not in favour of a strike.ballot of: · He was elected by a ballot of all the teaching staff in the college.hold a ballot: · It was decided to hold a ballot of all party members.secret ballot (=when no-one knows what you voted for): · Voting will be by secret ballot.
a political election - used especially in news reports: · The party is still trying to recover from the losses it suffered at last year's polls.at the polls: · Richards won a huge victory at the polls.the polls: · Voters have been flocking to the polls to elect a new president.
the process of voting in a political election: · Polling has been going on since 9 am.· The announcement of her resignation came just two days before polling was to begin.polling day British (=the day when an election is held): · Polling day is 30 May.polling booth/station (=a place where people vote): · Security was tight at the polling stations.
when the people in a group are asked to vote informally by raising their hands: · A show of hands suggested that Martins had little support.· She was elected by a show of hands.
WORD SETSabstain, verbabstention, nounadopt, verbballot, nounballot box, nounballot paper, nounblackball, verbby-election, nouncasting vote, nouncloture, nounconstituency, nounconstituent, noundeliver, verbdeposit, noundeselect, verbdisenfranchise, verbdisfranchise, verbdivision, noundoorstep, verbdream ticket, nounelect, verbelection, nounelectioneering, nounelective, adjectiveelector, nounelectoral, adjectiveelectoral register, nounelectorate, nounenfranchise, verbexit poll, nounfloating voter, nounfranchise, noungeneral election, nounhung parliament, nounlobby, nounmajority, nounmotion, nounno, nounoff-year, nounopen primary, nounoutvote, verboverall majority, nounplebiscite, nounplurality, nounpocket veto, nounpoint of order, nounpoll, nounpolling, nounpolling booth, nounpolling day, nounpolling station, nounpollster, nounPR, nounprimary, nounprimary election, nounproportional representation, nounpsephology, nounrecount, nounre-elect, verbreferendum, nounresolution, nounresolve, verbreturn, verbreturning officer, nounrig, verbrun, verbrun-off, nounscrutineer, nounshow of hands, nounslate, nounsplit ticket, nounspoil, verbsponsor, nounsponsor, verbstalking horse, nounstraight ticket, nounstraw poll, nounstronghold, nounsuffrage, nountactical voting, nounteller, nounthree-line whip, nounvote, verbvote of censure, nounvote of confidence, nounvote of no confidence, nounvoter, nounvoting machine, nounward, nounwrite-in, nounX, nounyea, nounyes, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The city council agreed to hold a referendum on the issue in November.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
when people vote in order to make a decision about a particular subject, rather than voting for a personreferendum on The city council agreed to hold a referendum on the issue in November.· Nevertheless, Congress was forced to agree to a constitutional referendum in April which threatened to curtail its powers.
· A national referendum is now required.· Many people have recommended other forms of democratic participation, from neighborhood assemblies to a national initiative and referendum process.· They also claimed that a national referendum would be impossible when so much of the country was under rebel control.· He proposed that a national referendum should replace the Congress in voting on new federal taxes.· The national referendum absorbed a separate vote on the deal which had already been arranged in Quebec for Oct. 26.· I believe Teddy Roosevelt originally had the idea of giving people the right to a national referendum on major Supreme Court decisions.· In order to achieve this, both would campaign for a national referendum and a National Constituent Assembly in the elections.· Changes would require a two-thirds majority in both houses and the approval of the electorate in a national referendum.
· The Assembly nominates the President who is confirmed by popular referendum for a six-year term.· Then Tymoshenko and other opposition leaders disagreed over whether to enter into talks with Kuchma or organize a popular referendum against him.· They reiterated their call for a popular referendum on the country's future political system.· The presentation of that election as a popular referendum prevented a new populist attack on the Unionist government.· Since the government can not submit every decision to popular referendum, elected or appointed individuals act on behalf of larger constituencies.
NOUN· Gutierrez also has been hired to handle the lucrative publicity-and-consulting contract for the referendum campaign.· The referendum campaign had been fiercely fought by opposing factions.· From this FitzGerald could be in little doubt as to the likely course the bishops would take once a referendum campaign got under way.· Meanwhile, the referendum campaign was marked by increasingly heated rhetoric on both sides.
· The independence referendum had provoked warnings from Gorbachev that it would lead to a breakup of the Union and hence disaster.
· The referendum results were thus automatically invalidated - the first time that this had happened.· Under the Gephardt plan, the issues would be selected after public hearings and the referendum results would be nonbinding.· In the meantime, we have the maps of the referendum results to suggest how we might get to that destination.
VERB· Nkrumah announced another referendum to enable him to dismiss the judges and also to establish a one-party state.· And, finally, he announced that another referendum would be held in January 1961.
· None the less the new document, approved by another referendum in October, still gave most authority to the National Assembly.· A new constitution was approved by referendum in February 1987.· A new Constitution was overwhelmingly approved in a referendum on Dec. 23, 1990.
· The movement called for a referendum on the islands' continued union with the mainland.· Later, they called for a public referendum on several water issues, to be voted on during the November general election.· He also appeared to call for a referendum on Maastricht - against Government policy.· Bouchard vowed to call another referendum when conditions were right.· Independently of this process, the Federal Assembly would discuss calling a referendum in December.· His gamble of calling a referendum totally backfired, rivals said.· Opposition leaders hailed the visit, calling for a referendum on the restoration of the constitutional monarchy.
· It has even been suggested that the fate of trophy items should be decided openly by a referendum.· I consider the idea that the issue should be decided by a referendum nothing short of bizarre.
· The changes were expected to take effect following a referendum scheduled for Sept. 15.
· Nashville officials hope to know by Wednesday if enough signatures of registered voters have been gathered to force a referendum.· Back then, an outfit called Alliance Marana successfully gathered enough signatures to force a referendum on the rezoning.
· We should not go so far as to hold a referendum, but the people must have the final say.· If it is approved, 30-day period opens for anyone wishing to hold a referendum drive to overturn the deal.· On the subject of the draft union treaty, Gorbachev introduced the idea of holding a referendum on it throughout the country.· Moldavia refused to hold the referendum on the grounds that it would worsen ethnic tensions in the republic.· Why hold a referendum, when no one could challenge the imposition of his will?· It has prompted President De Klerk to hold a referendum to guage white support on ending apartheid.· June 25: Moldavia's President Snegur announced that the republic would hold a referendum on independence in the autumn.· In 1992 western governments had allowed Bosnia to hold a referendum and become an independent state.
· Then Tymoshenko and other opposition leaders disagreed over whether to enter into talks with Kuchma or organize a popular referendum against him.
· He also proposed a referendum on private ownership of land.· He proposed that a national referendum should replace the Congress in voting on new federal taxes.· Reiterating earlier calls from Czech leaders, he proposed that a referendum be held on the issue.· Najibullah proposed that a referendum be held in both government and mujaheddin-controlled areas to determine whether a ceasefire should be implemented.
· The terms were then, successfully, put to a referendum.· The new military leader confirmed that Venda's situation would be put to a referendum.· A commission was appointed to draw up a new constitution which would be put to a referendum in mid-1990.· The proposals were to be put to a referendum after first being considered by the National Assembly.
· Of the 28 percent of the electorate who voted in the referendum, 53 percent supported the ban.· I was a junior Minister and I took advantage of the dispensation which enabled me to vote no in that referendum.· Trust the people, but not to vote in a referendum on entry to the single currency.
· For no country has won a referendum on the euro.· After all, it's not every day you win an arena referendum and a game against the defending champion Lakers.· Mr Yeltsin had been expected to win the referendum, but not resoundingly.
a referendum on independence The city council agreed to hold a referendum on the issue in November.► see thesaurus at election