ballot Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a document listing the alternatives that is used in voting
  2. noun a choice that is made by counting the number of people in favor of each alternative
    vote; voting; balloting.
    • there were only 17 votes in favor of the motion
    • they allowed just one vote per person
  3. verb vote by ballot
    • The voters were balloting in this state

WordNet

Bal"lot noun
Etymology
F. ballotte, fr. It. ballotta. See Ball round body.
Definitions
  1. Originally, a ball used for secret voting. Hence: Any printed or written ticket used in voting.
  2. The act of voting by balls or written or printed ballots or tickets; the system of voting secretly by balls or by tickets.
    The insufficiency of the ballot. Dickens.
  3. The whole number of votes cast at an election, or in a given territory or electoral district.
Bal"lot intransitive verb
Etymology
F. ballotter to toss, to ballot, or It. ballottare. See Ballot, n.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Balloted; present participle & verbal noun Balloting
Definitions
  1. To vote or decide by ballot; as, to ballot for a candidate.
Bal"lot transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To vote for or in opposition to.
    None of the competitors arriving to a sufficient number of balls, they fell to ballot some others. Sir H. Wotton.

Webster 1913