From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishplebiscitepleb‧is‧cite /ˈplebəsət $ -saɪt/ noun [countable, uncountable] formal PPVa system by which everyone in a country or area votes on an important decision that affects the whole country or areaplebiscite on a plebiscite on independence → referendum
Examples from the Corpus
plebiscite• Newfoundland, finally, became the tenth province after a plebiscite in 1948.• If this had been a plebiscite, we would have won in a landslide.• Even after he stepped down in 1990 following a plebiscite rejecting his rule, his spell still hung over the nation.• The administration will also hold a plebiscite within the next six months for the approval of constitutional reforms.• It was clear that the General's opponents were right: this was a plebiscite.• Every week a plebiscite of sorts is held to determine which programs are popular and which are not.• Napoleon and Louis Napoleon favoured government by plebiscite or caesarian democracy.• Some countries seek to involve the people more directly, from time to time, by the use of plebiscites.Origin plebiscite (1500-1600) French plébiscite, from Latin plebis scitum “decision of the common people” 