reference

[ref-er-uhns, ref-ruhns]

noun

1. an act or instance of referring.

2. a mention; allusion.

3. something for which a name or designation stands; denotation.

4. a direction in a book or writing to some other book, passage, etc.

   Synonyms: citation, note

5. a book, passage, etc., to which one is directed.

6. reference mark.

7. material contained in a footnote or bibliography, or referred to by a reference mark.

8. use or recourse for purposes of information.

   a library for public reference.

9. a book or other source of useful facts or information, such as an encyclopedia, dictionary, etc.

10. a person to whom one refers for testimony as to one's character, abilities, etc.

11. a statement, usually written, as to a person's character, abilities, etc.

    Synonyms: endorsement

12. relation, regard, or respect.

    all persons, without reference to age.

    Synonyms: concern, consideration

verb (used with object)

referenced, referencing 

1. to furnish (a book, dissertation, etc.) with references.

   Each new volume is thoroughly referenced.

2. to arrange (notes, data, etc.) for easy reference.

   Statistical data is referenced in the glossary.

3. to refer to.

   to reference a file.

reference

/ ˈrɛfərəns, ˌrɛfəˈrɛnʃəl, ˈrɛfrəns /

noun

1. the act or an instance of referring

2. something referred, esp proceedings submitted to a referee in law

3. a direction of the attention to a passage elsewhere or to another book, document, etc

4. a book or passage referred to

5. a mention or allusion

   this book contains several references to the Civil War

6. philosophy

   1. the relation between a word, phrase, or symbol and the object or idea to which it refers

   2. the object referred to by an expression Compare sense

7. 1. a source of information or facts

   2. ( as modifier )

      a reference book

      a reference library

8. a written testimonial regarding one's character or capabilities

9. a person referred to for such a testimonial

10. 1. (foll by to) relation or delimitation, esp to or by membership of a specific class or group; respect or regard

       all people, without reference to sex or age

    2. ( as modifier )

       a reference group

11. a fact forming the basis of an evaluation or assessment; criterion

12. the specific limits of responsibility that determine the activities of an investigating body, etc

verb

1. to furnish or compile a list of references for (an academic thesis, publication, etc)

2. to make a reference to; refer to

   he referenced Chomsky, 1956

preposition

1. re. commerce with reference to

   reference your letter of the 9th inst

Other Word Forms

• referential adjective
• referencer noun
• misreference noun
• nonreference noun
• prereference noun
• subreference noun
• unreferenced adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of reference¹

First recorded in 1580–90; refer + -ence

Idioms and Phrases

see in regard (reference) to.

Example Sentences

I imagine there will be some reference to Swinney's international engagement, not least because the newly recognised Palestinian ambassador to the UK is due to address conference.

Read more on BBC

The name "chikungunya" comes from the Kimakonde language, meaning "that which bends up," a reference to the stooped posture caused by the severe joint pain that often accompanies the infection.

Read more on Science Daily

That shaving scene referenced earlier dramatizes why this and other supposedly neutral policies painfully disfavor some people without diving into a medical manual.

Read more on Salon

Of course, that’s a reference to the line from the classic film “Sunset Boulevard.”

Read more on MarketWatch

Presidents and political references fill his novels, but the books are without pronouncement.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• allusion 
• hint 
• innuendo 
• mention 
• note 
• quotation 

When To Use

What does reference mean?

Reference means an act of referring, that is, an act of directing someone to something, Jaya noted the name of the author for future reference.Reference also means a direct mention or to the actual books or materials that someone is being referred to, as in The greedy pig named Bob Bacon was a reference to the actual business tycoon of the same name.Reference can also mean material that can be referred to for information, as in The encyclopedia is a good reference to use when doing your homework.In a piece of writing, a reference is a direction or citation leading a reader to another book or passage for more information, as in The author listed several references at the bottom of the page.Any of these senses can also be used as verbs, as in All of the graphical data was referenced at the end of the study.Reference is also commonly used to mean people that give testimony about a person’s character, such as for a job application, as in The teacher agreed to be listed as a reference on Namita’s college application.Example: Teachers often tell their students how many references their research papers need to have.