refer

American  

[ri-fur] / rɪˈfɜr /

verb (used with object)

referred, referring

1. to direct for information or anything required.

   He referred me to books on astrology.

2. to direct the attention or thoughts of.

   The asterisk refers the reader to a footnote.

3. to hand over or submit for information, consideration, treatment, assistance, decision, etc..

   They were forced to refer the argument to arbitration.

   The doctor will decide whether to carry out blood tests in the office or to refer the patient to a hospital.

4. to recommend.

   My electrician went above and beyond, and I would definitely refer her to a friend.

5. to assign to a class, period, etc.; regard as belonging or related.

   Animals referred to the phylum Platyhelminthes are also known as flatworms due to their flattened bodies.

   Synonyms:

   impute, ascribe, attribute

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verb phrase

1. refer to

   1. to have recourse or resort to; turn to, as for aid or information.

      I can't remember the answer offhand, so I'll have to refer to my notes.

   2. to mention; speak briefly of.

      The author referred to his teachers twice in the article.

   3. to relate to; apply to; mean or denote.

      The term “contingency fee” refers to an arrangement where legal fees are due to the attorney only if the case is successful.

   4. to direct attention to, as a reference mark does.

      Each number refers to an endnote.

refer British  

/ rɪˈfɜːrəbəl, rɪˈfɜː, ˈrɛfərəbəl /

verb

1. (intr) to make mention (of)

2. (tr) to direct the attention of (someone) for information, facts, etc

   the reader is referred to Chomsky, 1965

3. (intr) to seek information (from)

   I referred to a dictionary of English usage

   he referred to his notes

4. (intr) to be relevant (to); pertain or relate (to)

   this song refers to an incident in the Civil War

5. (tr) to assign or attribute

   Cromwell referred his victories to God

6. (tr) to hand over for consideration, reconsideration, or decision

   to refer a complaint to another department

7. (tr) to hand back to the originator as unacceptable or unusable

8. (tr) to fail (a student) in an examination

9. (tr) to send back (a thesis) to a student for improvement

10. a request by a bank that the payee consult the drawer concerning a cheque payable by that bank (usually because the drawer has insufficient funds in his account), payment being suspended in the meantime

11. (tr) to direct (a patient) for treatment to another doctor, usually a specialist

12. (tr) social welfare to direct (a client) to another agency or professional for a service

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Usage

The common practice of adding back to refer is tautologous, since this meaning is already contained in the re- of refer: this refers to (not back to ) what has already been said . However, when refer is used in the sense of passing a document or question for further consideration to the person from whom it was received, it may be appropriate to say he referred the matter back

Other Word Forms

• misrefer
  verb
• prerefer
  verb (used with object)
• referable
  adjective
• referrable
  adjective
• referral
  noun
• referrer
  noun
• referrible
  adjective
• unreferred
  adjective
• well-referred
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of refer

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English referren, from Latin referre “to bring back,” from re- re- + ferre “to bear, bring, carry”; see also bear ¹

Explanation

If you refer to something, you consult it. To check your spelling, you refer to a dictionary. If you want to know when your spring break starts, you can refer to your class schedule. Refer is made up of two very useful Latin roots: re- "back" and ferre "carry," and when one thing refers to another, one meaning “carries back” to the other — there’s some kind of connection. "The term “Spaghetti Western” refers to a kind of Western often filmed in Italy by Italian filmmakers, in Italian." If you have a mysterious rash, your doctor might refer you — send you — to an allergist.

Example Sentences

If you’d like to refer this newsletter to friends, they can sign up here.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

In that event, of course, AI’s track record will be artificially inflated by what statisticians refer to as “hindsight bias.”

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

But that setback never stopped the remaining humans from pursuing the dream of something we colloquially refer to as touching grass.

From Salon • May 5, 2026

“Someone might have a legitimate dispute with them and wants to refer to it online,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

On the beat or on the downbeat refer to the moment when the pulse is strongest.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Related Words

• commit
• deliver
• hand over
• introduce
• pass on
• recommend
• send
• submit
• transfer
• turn over