plebiscitum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [pɫeː.bɪsˈkiː.tũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ple.biʃˈʃiː.tum]^[1]

Forms

plēbiscītum n (genitive plēbiscītī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin plebs (“common people”) + scitum (“decree”), often written separately as plēbī scītum.^[2][3][1] scītum is the participle of scīscō “to vote for, decree”.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus, in the Pseudolus, uses plēbī scītum.^[3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It was a decree of the plebs, as opposed to a senātūs cōnsultum, and Cicero and the Institutes of Justinian use it.^[3] Gellius quotes Capito that a plēbis scītum is a law which the plebs, not the whole people, accepts.^[3] The DMLBS explains it as a resolution of the plebs in the tribal assembly, given the force of law around 287 BC.^[6]

English plebiscite is used of Roman history from the 1530s, and came from French in its modern sense, a direct vote of the people, in 1852.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses plēbī scītum.^[3][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of decrees of the plebs.^[3][5]
• c. 165 AD – Gellius defines it after Capito.^[3][5]
• 1530s – English plebiscite is recorded for Roman history.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A decree of the plebs, a plebiscite.^[2][3]

Related words

• plēbs
• English plebiscite

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press