Referential Meaning
/ɹɛfəˈɹɛnʃəl/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjOf a word or phrase applied to a particular person, place, or thing and not to any other.
adjOf or relating to a referent.
Sentence Examples
The speaker's comments were purely referential and not critical.
His poetry is full of complex and deep referential allusions.
His writing style is highly referential to classical literature.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The word 'it' is a ____ pronoun because it points to something else in the sentence.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The poem was highly ____, drawing on classical mythology and biblical imagery throughout.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English reference Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisder. Old French -ialder. Middle English -ial English -ial English referential From reference + -ial.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Thus, the referential location of “town” in an utterance “Went to town”, is simply to be conceived as that location which might also be referred to by “there”, “the place we visited last Thursday”, “your birthplace”, etc."
— 2011, James Dickins, Extended Axiomatic Linguistics, Walter de Gruyter, page 108:
"Above all, the referential approach has proved durable and especially flexible."
— 1990, Gerald Mead, “The Representation of Fictional Character”, in Style, volume 24, number 3, Penn State UP, →JSTOR, page 441:
"In the first place, it must be pointed out that the bond with the past is inferential rather than referential."
— 1991, David Herzberger, “Social Realism and the Contingencies of History in the Contemporary Spanish Novel”, in Hispanic Review, volume 59, number 2, U of Pennsylvania P, →JSTOR, page 161:
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The word 'it' is a ____ pronoun because it points to something else in the sentence.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The poem was highly ____, drawing on classical mythology and biblical imagery throughout.