reference
pronunciation
How to pronounce reference in British English:
UK [ˈrefrəns]
How to pronounce reference in American English:
US [ˈrefrəns]
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- Noun:
- a remark that calls attention to something or someone
- a short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage
- an indicator that orients you generally
- a book to which you can refer for authoritative facts
- a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability
- the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to
- the act of referring or consulting
- a publication (or a passage from a publication) that is referred to
- the relation between a word or phrase and the object or idea it refers to
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- Verb:
- refer to
Word Origin
- reference (n.)
- 1580s, "act of referring," from refer + -ance, or else from French référence, from Medieval Latin *referentia, from Latin referentem (nominative referens), present participle of referre (see refer). Meaning "direction to a book or passage" is recorded from 1610s. Meaning "testimonial" is from 1895. Reference book dates from 1808. Phrase in reference to is attested from 1590s.
- reference (v.)
- 1620s, "to assign;" as "to provide with a reference," 1837 (implied in referenced), from reference (n.). Related: Referencing.
Example
- 1. Search engines are unique internet reference guides .
- 2. My deep-seated fear now has a url reference .
- 3. What if you want to mix value captures and reference captures ?
- 4. The islamists liked his reference to turkey 's muslim identity .
- 5. It contains not one reference to the scientific literature .