plebiscite

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
plebiscite /ˈplɛbɪsʌɪt, -sɪt/

▶noun

• 1 the direct vote of all the members of an electorate on an important public question.

• 2 (in ancient Rome) a law enacted by the plebeians' assembly.

– derivatives
plebiscitary /-ˈbɪsɪt(ə)ri/ adjective.

– origin C16: from Fr. plébiscite, from L. plebiscitum, from plebs, pleb- ‘the common people’ + scitum ‘decree’.