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• cross reference
  cross reference

  noun

  a reference from one part of a book, index, or the like, to related material, as a word or illustration, in another part.
• cross-reference
  cross-reference

  verb (used with or without object)

  to provide with cross references.

cross reference

¹ American  

noun

1. a reference from one part of a book, index, or the like, to related material, as a word or illustration, in another part.

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cross-reference ² American  

[kraws-ref-er-uhns, -ref-ruhns, kros-] / ˈkrɔsˈrɛf ər əns, -ˈrɛf rəns, ˈkrɒs- /

verb (used with or without object)

cross-referenced, cross-referencing

1. to provide with cross references.

   The new encyclopedia is completely cross-referenced.

2. cross-refer.

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cross-reference British  

noun

1. a reference within a text to another part of the text

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verb

1. to cross-refer

Etymology

Origin of cross reference¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Origin of cross-reference²

First recorded in 1900–05

Explanation

When a book mentions something from a different part of the same book, that's a cross-reference. In a textbook, a cross-reference might look like this: "See page 123." Cross-reference, "a reference in a book to another part of it," was coined in the 19th century. It's a way to add more information without going into wordy detail, similar to using a footnote or endnote in academic writing. If you look up "Amelia Earhart" in an index at the back of a book, you might see cross-references such as "See also: Earhart, Amelia" and "See also: aviators."

Example Sentences

The Mayo Clinic provides some symptoms of BPD, which you can cross reference with your experience of your mother-in-law.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026

JXN Water, the corporation Henifin formed to manage water infrastructure projects, will cross reference the Entergy customer records with city records to see what homes might be using water without a utility account.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 22, 2023

The government body does not use any fraud detection systems to cross reference the identities on applications, and currently employs no trained fraud investigators.

From BBC • Dec. 1, 2021

These people have different agendas and different biases, and you cross reference those lies.

From Salon • Feb. 29, 2020

I've done the best I could for you on such short notice—with Uncle Sidney trying his level best to get a cross reference to the board before taking action.

From Empire Builders by Hambidge, Jay