vote

The word “vote” means a formal choice made as part of an election or decision, usually by ballot. In plain terms, to make a formal choice, usually by ballot — or the choice itself.

“Vote” is pronounced voht (/voʊt/ in IPA).

Here is “vote” used in a sentence: “Every citizen over eighteen has the right to a vote.”

Depending on how it is used, “vote” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “vote” comes from Latin. From Latin votum, "a vow" — from voveo, "to vow." It's a doublet of the word vow.

“Vote” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Vote” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a formal choice made as part of an election or decision, usually by ballot.

A vote is the choice itself — the preference you express for a candidate or option. A ballot is the physical or digital means of casting it, such as the paper slip or voting card. In short, you record your vote on a ballot: the ballot is the vehicle, the vote is the decision.

Votes take many forms. A popular vote counts every individual choice, while a secret ballot keeps each one private. There are also votes of confidence, block votes, proxy votes cast on someone's behalf, and casting votes used to break a tie. The method chosen varies with the setting and the stakes.

Voting is how members of a group turn individual preferences into a collective decision. In democracies it gives citizens a peaceful, formal say in who governs and how, holding leaders to account. Even in a small committee, a vote settles disagreement fairly by giving everyone an equal voice in the outcome.

When opposing sides receive an equal number of votes, the result is a tie or deadlock. Many bodies resolve this with a pre-agreed rule — a chairperson's casting vote, a coin toss, or a fresh round of voting — so that a clear decision can still be reached.