referendum Hear it!

referendum definition

ref·er·en·dum (ref′ə ren′dəm)

noun pl. referendums -·dums or referenda -·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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.