Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
referent
Noun
/ˈrɛfərənt/
Definition
A referent is something that refers to or denotes a particular person, thing, or concept.
Examples
- The word “dog” can serve as a referent for the actual animal.
- In the sentence ‘She read the book,’ the referent of ‘she’ is the specific person who is reading.
Meaning
In linguistics, a referent is the actual entity or concept that a word or expression points to in the real world.
Synonyms
- denote
- reference
- signifier
