referral

noun

re·​fer·​ral ri-ˈfər-əl 

1

: the act, action, or an instance of referring

gave the patient a referral to a specialist

2

: one that is referred

Examples of referral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Breaking Barriers met or exceeded most benchmarks set by the California Board of State and Community Corrections, including goals for referrals, case management, employment placements and housing assistance, according to the research. —City News Service, Daily News, 2 May 2026

Misrouted referrals or faulty diagnostic recommendations can have life-threatening consequences. —Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 2 May 2026

And Rogers was found dead in her home a week after DCF opened an investigation into the family based on a referral from police who had picked up the child on a call for a theft and brought her home to a mother who did not realize she was gone. —Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2026

Beyond the question of criminal referrals, the commission’s report urged DHS to restrict certain ICE and Customs and Border Protection practices, including the use of chemical agents, physical force and vehicle pursuits during civil immigration enforcement. —Olivia Olander, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1790, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing referral

• self-referral

Rhymes for referral

• deferral
• epidural
• postdoctoral
• predoctoral
• neral
• squirrel
• sural

Kids Definition

referral

noun

re·​fer·​ral ri-ˈfər-əl 

: the act or an instance of referring

Medical Definition

referral

noun

re·​fer·​ral ri-ˈfər-əl 

1

: the process of directing or redirecting (as a medical case or a patient) to an appropriate specialist or agency for definitive treatment

2

: an individual that is referred

Legal Definition

referral

noun

re·​fer·​ral ri-ˈfər-əl 

: the act or an instance of referring

appealed the referral of the bill to the Budget Committee