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

Amazon also partnered with major health systems, including the Cleveland Clinic and Rush University System for Health, to create smoother referrals between primary care and specialists. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Mar. 2026

Late last year, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk signed on to the president's TrumpRx, a cash-pay referral site that the White House launched last month. —Christopher Rowland The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 21 Mar. 2026

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. —Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026

The announcement triggered a surge of interest among parents seeking the medication, with social media groups popping up with tens of thousands of members sharing doctors' referrals and notes. —Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 16 Mar. 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
• sural

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