/pleb"euh suyt', -sit/ , n.
1. a direct vote of the qualified voters of a state in regard to some important public question.
2. the vote by which the people of a political unit determine autonomy or affiliation with another country.
[ 1525-35; plebiscitum decree of the plebs, equiv. to plebi (for plebis, plebei gen. sing. of plebs, plebes PLEBS) + scitum resolution, decree, n. use of neut. of scitus, ptp. of sciscere to enact, decree, orig., to seek to know, learn, inchoative of scire to know ]