referential

adjective

ref·​er·​en·​tial ˌre-fə-ˈren(t)-shəl How to pronounce referential (audio)
: of, containing, or constituting a reference
especially : pointing to or involving a referent
referential language
referential meaning
referentially adverb

Examples of referential in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The result is an irreverent, mega-meta, sneakily touching Simpsons episode that’s both gloriously referential and unlike anything the show’s done before. Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2024 Who is wearing referential florals on the red carpet? Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 23 Dec. 2024 One especially potent line applies not just to Swift and Healy’s romance but to a generation of young people trapped in an overly nostalgic and referential culture and maybe a little deprived of real-life experience. Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024 Khan, who famously cast James Van Der Beek as an abrasive version of himself in Apartment 23 before doing something similar with Early, speaks pop culture as a first language, and Laid has some of the funniest referential jokes this side of 30 Rock. Judy Berman, TIME, 17 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for referential 

Word History

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of referential was in 1660

Dictionary Entries Near referential

Cite this Entry

“Referential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/referential. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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