referral

noun

re·​fer·​ral ri-ˈfər-əl 

1

: the act, action, or an instance of referring

gave the patient a referral to a specialist

2

: one that is referred

Examples of referral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His survivors also include his mother, Kay Taylor, who is executive director of a child care referral agency in Marquette; a brother, also in the Army, and a sister. — Sheryl Lee, Freep.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Hopefully, your customer lifetime value bails you out in the form of repeat orders, subscriptions, upsells and referrals. — Bar Maimon, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026

The Illinois Accountability Commission has been highly effective in producing a detailed public record and official legal referrals regarding immigration agents’ conduct during Midway Blitz. — Jesus Chuy Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026

Hern said the facility also partnered with the Antioch Police Department to provide referrals and community resources for individuals in need of treatment and recovery services. — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing referral

• self-referral

Rhymes for referral

• deferral
• epidural
• postdoctoral
• predoctoral
• neral
• squirrel

Kids Definition

referral

noun

re·​fer·​ral ri-ˈfər-əl 

: the act or an instance of referring

Medical Definition

referral

noun

re·​fer·​ral ri-ˈfər-əl 

1

: the process of directing or redirecting (as a medical case or a patient) to an appropriate specialist or agency for definitive treatment

2

: an individual that is referred

Legal Definition

referral

noun

re·​fer·​ral ri-ˈfər-əl 

: the act or an instance of referring

appealed the referral of the bill to the Budget Committee