Definition of "Reference" :

noun: the act of referring or consulting

"Reference to an encyclopedia produced the answer."

noun: the most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to

noun: the relation between a word or phrase and the object or idea it refers to

"He argued that reference is a consequence of conditioned reflexes."

noun: (computer science) the code that identifies where a piece of information is stored

noun: a book to which you can refer for authoritative facts

"He contributed articles to the basic reference work on that topic."

noun: a formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability

"Requests for character references are all too often answered evasively."

noun: a short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage

noun: a remark that calls attention to something or someone

"The speaker made several references to his wife."

noun: an indicator that orients you generally

"It is used as a reference for comparing the heating and the electrical energy involved."

noun: a publication (or a passage from a publication) that is referred to

"He carried an armful of references back to his desk."

verb: refer to

"He referenced his colleagues' work."