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

Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. —Staff Reports, Des Moines Register, 25 Jan. 2026

Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. —Usa Today Staff, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026

ArtPop is more than billboards Beyond the billboards, ArtPop offers small business education classes and grants to artists, Hickey said, as well as an artist referral program that has completed 80 projects and paid over $750,000 directly to local artists over five years. —Charlotte Observer, 22 Jan. 2026

The shelter will be open only to Elk Grove residents or those with deep ties to the city, verified through a vetting process, and who receive referrals from the city’s homeless services navigators or police officers. —Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 22 Jan. 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