Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
cultural reference
noun
/ˈkʌl.tʃər.əl ˈrɛf.ər.əns/
Definition
A cultural reference is an allusion or mention of elements from culture, such as history, literature, art, or popular media, that provides context to a conversation or piece of writing.
Examples
- In her speech, she made a cultural reference to Shakespeare to illustrate her point about love.
- The film is filled with cultural references that resonate with millennials.
- The novel’s humor relies heavily on cultural references from the 1980s.
Meaning
Cultural references add depth and meaning to communication by linking ideas or sentiments to well-known cultural aspects or phenomena. They’re often used to illustrate a point or evoke shared experiences within a particular group.
Synonyms
- cultural allusion
- cultural mention
- cultural citation
