reference
noun
ref·er·ence
| \ ˈre-fərn(t)s
, ˈre-f(ə-)rən(t)s\
, ˈre-f(ə-)rən(t)s\
Definition of reference
(Entry 1 of 3)
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
d
: denotation, meaning
reference
adjectiveDefinition of reference (Entry 2 of 3)
: used or usable for reference
especially
: constituting a standard for measuring or constructing
reference
verb
referenced;
referencing
Definition of reference (Entry 3 of 3)
1a
: 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
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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 materialsVerb
The book references many other authors who have written on this topic.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The internal communications dating back to 2014 include several references to Epstein being allowed to make small donations anonymously. — Kristina Sgueglia, CNN, "Top MIT official resigns in wake of explosive report on donations facilitated by Jeffrey Epstein," 8 Sep. 2019 The reference to Africans reflects the contention by Salvini, and much of his voter base, that migrants cause crime and rob work from Italians. — Washington Post, "Johnson and Salvini: 2 soaring stars lose big political bets," 7 Sep. 2019 Part five, The Dream Child even gets a direct reference on a marquee sign. — Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, "'It: Chapter Two' and the Weight of Expectations," 7 Sep. 2019 Andrew Metzger imbues him with off-the-wall wackiness and spouts a couple of throwaway pop-culture and political references (including a buying-Greenland one-liner). — David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Review: Gifted cast makes ‘The Addams Family’ a treat at Welk Resort Theatre," 7 Sep. 2019 Felicity Huffman’s attorneys have filed a number of character reference letters as part of the college admissions scandal case. — BostonGlobe.com, "Read the letters Felicity Huffman’s friends wrote to the judge in the college admissions scandal case," 7 Sep. 2019 Leave it to Scott to not only draw inspiration from the most ’80s references of all, but to outdo the more-is-more decade on all fronts. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "Jem and the Holograms," 7 Sep. 2019 Source: baseball-reference Jeff Toss asks: Is there a time limit for a rain delay, and what is the longest one? — Los Angeles Times, "Dodgers Dugout: Opening up the reader mailbag," 6 Sep. 2019 In this episode, Capital features reporter Selene San Felice reviews why Ripken might have evolved into such a a trendy music reference and shares some of the most memorable rap verses. — Baltimore Sun Staff, baltimoresun.com, "Rappers, it turns out, are big Cal Ripken fans. Hear some of the most memorable verses.," 6 Sep. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Click said in a statement, referencing the bill number. — Washington Post, "California lawmaker, governor reach deal on vaccine bill," 7 Sep. 2019 Wiseman said, referencing Friday’s front-page spread in The Laconia Daily Sun. — Brian Macquarrie, BostonGlobe.com, "At bustling summer getaway, Patriots’ Patrick Chung kept a low profile," 23 Aug. 2019 The second season of HBO’s Succession, which aired its second episode last night, made waves on media Twitter for referencing highly-specific problems that the digital media industry is currently facing. — Sangeeta Singh-kurtz, Quartzy, "Why are there so many new TV shows about TV shows?," 19 Aug. 2019 The 2016 cybersecurity rules referenced in the Senate bill kick in when a funding agency imposes additional restrictions on how the research can be disseminated or who can participate. — Jeffrey Mervis, Science | AAAS, "U.S. universities battle a security storm in Congress," 29 July 2019 And the #42strong slogan, referencing Brendan’s jersey number, has spread across the North Shore on T-shirts, bracelets and banners. — Bob Warren, nola.com, "North Shore rallies around teen injured in ATV crash," 14 June 2019 But while this new model will reference the old with some design elements, key details also reveal a vehicle that couldn’t be more different than the old one. — Matthew Scott, Outside Online, "The New Defender Will Not Be Like the Old One," 7 June 2019 Naturally, the Benz people slipped in a bit of marketing, referencing the company's new electric EQ subbrand that's meant to go head to head with BMW's i models. — Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, "BMW Pokes Fun at Mercedes-Benz CEO Dieter Zetsche's Retirement with Audacious Farewell Video," 22 May 2019 Typical Tesla cheekiness, which CEO Elon Musk referenced multiple times during the unveiling. — Alexander George, Popular Mechanics, "Tesla Reveals the New Model Y Crossover," 15 Mar. 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reference.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for reference
reference
noun
English Language Learners Definition of reference
(Entry 1 of 3)
: the act of mentioning something in speech or in writing : the act of referring to something or someone
: the act of looking at or in something for information
: a person who can be asked for information about another person's character, abilities, etc.
reference
adjectiveEnglish Language Learners Definition of reference (Entry 2 of 3)
: used to find information about something
: used to tell people where information can be found