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 president went on to take aim at his political rival, joking about Trump's references to running against former President Barack Obama in 2024. Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2024 Well is Musgraves’s ability to take a grab bag of ingredients and references, and fold them effortlessly into the album’s (organic, wholegrain) dough so that the overall texture runs smooth. Liam Hess, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2024 Stunts are among the human achievements that Guinness World Records keeps track of, published annually in a reference book. Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 Our interpretation of James’ work also reflects this young generation, whose tastes and references have changed so dramatically from the original film. Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 14 Mar. 2024 For reference, the Grand Canyon sees about 5 million visitors a year, according to the National Park Service. Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 14 Mar. 2024 For instance, what if the curators had invited an Indigenous person making A.I. works instead of the stereotypical references to tribal arts? Martha Schwendener, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 The exclamation, a reference to a fellow countryman, drew a smile from the official. Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2024 The third and fourth movements reference choro and bluegrass. Andrew Gilbert, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 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
Mullins has referenced antisemitic conspiracy theories in her sermons at Calvary Church and told her congregation not to read or watch secular news. Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 20 Mar. 2024 Rule: This is the rule that the surveyor referenced when citing each facility. Sahana Jayaraman, The Arizona Republic, 19 Mar. 2024 Meme pages on social media accounts for trendy East Londoners often reference the local’s increasing fondness for a Guinness, poured at one of the area’s several charming pubs. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 16 Mar. 2024 Statement, rebellious fashion was front of mind for interior designers Eco-ID when creating the resort, with some interior details referencing Chanel’s cruise shows; the carousel set from 2008, and the fake beach from 2018. Kate Lloyd, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2024 The real-life Curb billboard was spotted this week with two penises drawn on it to reference the show, and the activist art collective INDECLINE took all the credit on Friday. Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2024 The reference to the yacht’s name has had different explanations over the years, ranging from the pseudonym of a composer whose music Walker played as a child to a nod to the Beach Boys’s song from their 1988 album Still Cruisin’, which references a fictional utopian island called Kokomo. Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 In his most recent comments Gerber referenced some of Musk’s activities outside of Tesla as being a distraction. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 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

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 29 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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