noun
ballot
BA-luht
noun
1
A paper or card used to cast a vote, or the act of voting itself.
"Voters marked their choice on the ballot and dropped it in the box."
"The union held a secret ballot on whether to strike."
verb
1
To vote on something, or to ask a group to vote.
"Members will be balloted on the new pay offer next week."
How to Use Ballot
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA formal vote, usually by paper or card, or the process of holding one.
Common pairings
secret ballot
postal ballot
cast a ballot
ballot box
Word Forms
balloted past tense, ballots plural, ballots singular
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Voters marked their choice on the _____ and dropped it in the box.
Etymology
From Italian ballotta, "little ball" — small balls were once dropped into a container to register votes in secret.