reference

[ ref-er-uhns, ref-ruhns ]

/ ˈrɛf ər əns, ˈrɛf rəns /

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See synonyms for: reference / referenced / references / referencing on Thesaurus.com

noun

an act or instance of referring.

a mention; allusion.

something for which a name or designation stands; denotation.

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

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

reference mark (def. 2).

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

use or recourse for purposes of information: a library for public reference.

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

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

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

relation, regard, or respect: all persons, without reference to age.

verb (used with object), ref·er·enced, ref·er·enc·ing.

to furnish (a book, dissertation, etc.) with references: Each new volume is thoroughly referenced.

to arrange (notes, data, etc.) for easy reference: Statistical data is referenced in the glossary.

to refer to: to reference a file.

OTHER WORDS FOR reference

4 note, citation.

11 endorsement.

12 consideration, concern.

See synonyms for reference on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of reference

First recorded in 1580–90; refer + -ence

OTHER WORDS FROM reference

mis·ref·er·ence, nounnon·ref·er·ence, nounpre·ref·er·ence, nounsub·ref·er·ence, noun

un·ref·er·enced, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH reference

1. allusion, reference 2. reference , referral

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use reference in a sentence

We don’t ask you any information about your feet, or to use a reference object.
Xesto is a foot scanning app that simplifies shoe gifting|Natasha Lomas|November 20, 2020|TechCrunch
If such references suggest quaint nostalgia, that’s not all that flourishes in Wolfe’s dreamfields.
In the galleries: The Washington colorists and the CIA|Mark Jenkins|November 20, 2020|Washington Post
Following Mach’s lead, Einstein wanted to assert that motion was not defined by reference to absolute space, but only relative to other motion.
When Einstein Tilted at Windmills - Issue 93: Forerunners|Amanda Gefter|November 18, 2020|Nautilus
Zamir said that Nana was named after his mother, who raised David as a single parent after his father passed away, a reference to working hard and being practical.
Nana nabs $6M for an online academy and marketplace dedicated to appliance repair|Ingrid Lunden|November 12, 2020|TechCrunch

Pavón’s images include explicit references to the pandemic, but always combined with other themes.
For this artist and his girlfriend, life in lockdown became a creative opportunity|Mark Jenkins|November 12, 2020|Washington Post
“I like decorating my slaves,” she said, referencing the rope, her thin, crimson-coated lips peeling off her front teeth.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau|Ian Frisch|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A business partner mentioned a failed phone call, also referencing the mysterious Krystal.
Where Cellphone Numbers Go to Die|Jon Methven|August 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I think all of us who are impacted by it have been referencing it in one way or another for years in our work.
‘Phineas and Ferb’ Pilot Disney’s Premier Voyage into ‘Star Wars’|Jason Lynch|July 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Its name roughly translates to “pig pear,” referencing the only animals contented to eat it.
What to Drink When it’s Cold? The Glory of Austrian Schnaps|Jordan Salcito|January 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was referencing the only Village folk club with a liquor license in those days.
Fact Vs. Fiction in ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’: The Real Story of Folk is Far Less Dejected Than the Movie|Jimmy So|December 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
This group of small illustrations were printed with numbers referencing printers names, like the larger group on page 25.
Printers' Marks|William Roberts
It is necessary, therefore, to leave to the judgment of the classifier the propriety of cross-referencing unclaimed disclosures.
The Classification of Patents|United States Patent Office
Page 312—there were two entries for Iphitus (one referencing p. 192 and incorrectly located before the entry for Ino).
The Student's Mythology|Catherine Ann White
Footnotes with alphabetic tags now generally follow the referencing paragraph.
The Gunpowder Plot and Lord Mounteagle's Letter|Henry Hawkes Spink Jr.
Thus cross-referencing should normally be downward in a schedule of subclasses.
The Classification of Patents|United States Patent Office

British Dictionary definitions for reference

reference

/ (ˈrɛfərəns, ˈrɛfrəns) /

noun

the act or an instance of referring

something referred, esp proceedings submitted to a referee in law

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

a book or passage referred to

a mention or allusionthis book contains several references to the Civil War

philosophy

the relation between a word, phrase, or symbol and the object or idea to which it refers
the object referred to by an expressionCompare sense (def. 12)

a source of information or facts
(as modifier)a reference book; a reference library

a written testimonial regarding one's character or capabilities

a person referred to for such a testimonial

(foll by to) relation or delimitation, esp to or by membership of a specific class or group; respect or regardall people, without reference to sex or age
(as modifier)a reference group

point of reference a fact forming the basis of an evaluation or assessment; criterion

terms of reference the specific limits of responsibility that determine the activities of an investigating body, etc

verb (tr)

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

to make a reference to; refer tohe referenced Chomsky, 1956

preposition

commerce with reference toreference your letter of the 9th inst Abbreviation: re

Derived forms of reference

referencer, nounreferential (ˌrɛfəˈrɛnʃəl), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with reference

reference

see in regard (reference) to.

reference

OTHER WORDS FOR reference

Origin of reference

OTHER WORDS FROM reference

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH reference

Words related to reference

How to use reference in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for reference

Derived forms of reference

Other Idioms and Phrases with reference