ballot

Meaning

Noun

1. Originally, a small ball placed in a container to cast a vote; now, by extension, a piece of paper or card used for this purpose, or some other means used to signify a vote.
2. The process of voting, especially in secret; a round of voting.
3. The total of all the votes cast in an election.
4. A list of candidates running for office; a ticket.

Verb

1. To vote or decide by ballot.
2. To draw lots.
3. To invite to vote on a proposal.

Synonyms

vote

poll

voting

balloting

ticket

🎫

elect

suffrage

polling

election

casting of lots

vote for

label

🏷️

stub

voice

votes

voting slip

write in

cast one’s vote

vote in

ballot-paper

ballot for

vote teller

banknote

cast

electoral

franchise

opt

plebiscit

pole

referendum

sign

slate

sortition

Hyphenated as

bal‧lot

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbælət/

Etymology

Cognate with Middle French: balotiage

Cognate with French: ballottage

In summary

Borrowed from Italian balota (obsolete), ballotta (“small ball, especially one used to register a vote”), from balla (“bale, bundle”) + -otta (“suffix forming diminutive nouns”); or from Middle French balote (obsolete), ballotte (“small ball used to register a vote”) (also compare Middle French balotiage, French ballottage (“second ballot, runoff”)); both ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *ballu (“ball”).