reference

1 of 3

noun

ref·​er·​ence ˈre-fərn(t)s How to pronounce reference (audio)
ˈre-f(ə-)rən(t)s
1
: the act of referring or consulting
2
: a bearing on a matter : relation
in reference to your recent letter
3
: something that refers: such as
b
: something (such as a sign or indication) that refers a reader or consulter to another source of information (such as a book or passage)
c
: consultation of sources of information
4
: one referred to or consulted: such as
a
: a person to whom inquiries as to character or ability can be made
b
: a statement of the qualifications of a person seeking employment or appointment given by someone familiar with the person
c(1)
: a source of information (such as a book or passage) to which a reader or consulter is referred
(2)
: a work (such as a dictionary or encyclopedia) containing useful facts or information

reference

2 of 3

adjective

: used or usable for reference
especially : constituting a standard for measuring or constructing

reference

3 of 3

verb

referenced; referencing

transitive verb

1
a
: to supply with references
b
: to cite in or as a reference
2
: to put in a form (such as a table) adapted to easy reference

Examples of reference in a Sentence

Noun references to an earlier event The numbers were calculated by reference to the most recent census. Reference to a map will make the position clear. She listed her former teacher as a reference when she applied for the job. Her former teacher gave her a reference when she applied for the job. Her teacher gave her a letter of reference. Adjective a list of reference materials Verb The book references many other authors who have written on this topic.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The reference to Jerry Springer, a show where guests routinely antagonized the audience and attempted to assault one another on stage, hardly fits de Matteo’s goal of a mutually respectful forum that strengthens community. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 Many, many people have had the enjoyable experience of going through Andrew Lloyd Webber and pointing out the Puccini references in his work, Stephen Sondheim and pointing out all the Ravel, and many people have gone through Leonard Bernstein and pointed out Aaron Copland. Stephen Cox, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 Previously, Young Sheldon has featured numerous references to the flasgship series, including voiceovers from Bialik, Kaley Cuoco (as Penny), and Simon Helberg (as Howard). Shania Russell, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 Wrapped in all-black garments with dark sunglasses and Chapeau du Matin-style hat, Kathryn’s look was a deliberate reference to one of the big screen’s most famous outfits. Jemal Polson, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 That’s about 25 percent more than a Camry, for reference. Tim Stevens, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2024 The information comes from Luminate’s new Streaming Viewership (M) product, which deploys more than two years of data science modeling combined with public and private data sources, and proprietary entertainment metadata for contextual reference. William Earl, Variety, 29 Feb. 2024 For reference, just Apple and Microsoft combined hold a larger weighting in the S&P 500 than Berkshire Hathaway, JP Morgan, UnitedHealth Group, Visa, Exxon, Mastercard, Johnson & Johnson, Procter and Gamble, Home Depot, Costco, Merck, and Chevron combined. Beth Kindig, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The dates are a reference to the Prophet Muhammad eating dates to break his fast. Jordan Green, Detroit Free Press, 29 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The gallery’s wall configuration, which has been fixed for quite some time, has now been opened up in refreshingly spacious ways that allow a viewer to visually cross-reference paintings. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2022 This is despite progress; many country national climate action plans now cross-reference gender, and country delegations include more women. Catherine McKenna, Scientific American, 8 Nov. 2022 Some problems occurred because the system didn’t properly cross-reference country codes used on a money-laundering watchlist with the country codes used to process wire transfers, the SEC said. Richard Vanderford, WSJ, 20 May 2022 State officials regularly cross-reference voting records with BMV records, which list someone’s citizenship status on their driver’s license. Andrew J. Tobias, cleveland, 12 July 2021 This process sees them cross-reference lists of the dead from the Washington Department of Health and the Social Security Administration. Tim Gruver, Washington Examiner, 11 Dec. 2020 The access could help OFAC cross-reference information with other investigators, including those in the U.S. intelligence community, said Mr. Lorber, a former senior adviser to the Treasury’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. Jack Hagel, WSJ, 7 Sep. 2020
Verb
The visual directly references the 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, an inspiration for Grande’s latest LP. Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2024 Biden warned that the GOP underestimated the power of women to mobilize, referencing past wins when reproductive freedom was on the ballot and predicting a win again in 2024. Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024 In a complaint to EU officials, Epic said Apple justified the decision by referencing Epic’s past deliberate violation of Apple’s app store terms and Epic’s public criticism of Apple. Brian Fung, CNN, 7 Mar. 2024 So, more than anything, Scahill wanted his banjo students, who play songs with titles and lyrics that reference Irish cities, towns and people, to come with him, tour Ireland, and actually play in those towns, and meet those people. Lori Nickel, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024 How does The Idea of You reference Harry Styles? When the trailer released on March 6, fans immediately noticed similarities between Hayes and Styles, with one particular scene depicting Hayes on stage with August Moon bearing a resemblance to Styles’ performances with One Direction back in 2013. Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 The mark, not typically referenced, lends context to the Cougars’ stunning run through conference play. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024 The plan references stronger police and community relationships, addressing disparities, providing communities necessary support, and continuing research for what causes violence. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2024 That first video referenced the conspiracy theory that the White House had somehow rigged the game in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs to create the perfect moment for Taylor Swift to endorse Biden’s campaign. Makena Kelly, WIRED, 24 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reference.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1856, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1876, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of reference was in 1579

Dictionary Entries Near reference

Cite this Entry

“Reference.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reference. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reference

1 of 2 noun
ref·​er·​ence ˈref-ərn(t)s How to pronounce reference (audio)
ˈref-(ə-)rən(t)s
1
: the act of referring
2
: a relation to or concern with something : respect
with reference to what was said
3
a
: a remark referring to something : allusion
made reference to our agreement
b
: a sign or indication referring a reader to another book or portion of a written work
c
: use as sources of information
volumes for ready reference
4
a
: a person to whom questions as to another person's honesty or ability can be addressed
b
: a statement of the qualifications of a person seeking employment or appointment given by someone familiar with them
c
: a book, document, or portion of a written work to which a reader is referred

reference

2 of 2 adjective
: used or usable for reference
a reference point

Medical Definition

reference

1 of 2 adjective
ref·​er·​ence ˈref-(ə-)rən(t)s How to pronounce reference (audio)
: of known potency and used as a standard in the biological assay of a sample of the same drug of unknown strength
a dose of reference cod-liver oil

reference

2 of 2

Legal Definition

reference

noun
ref·​er·​ence ˈre-frəns, -fə-rəns How to pronounce reference (audio)
1
: an act of referring
specifically : mention or citation of one document (as a statute) in another
a municipality may adopt by reference all or a part of this title Alaska Statutes
see also incorporate
2
: a referral especially to a legislative committee or master
also : an order referring a matter to a master
the extent to which any party is more responsible than other parties for the reference to a master Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 53(g)

More from Merriam-Webster on reference

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