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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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 The movie’s referential fragmentation is secondary to its unity as an experience. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2024 Doubling as formal introduction to anyone who hasn’t attended a Bushwick warehouse show with 45 stoned internet rappers on the lineup, Xavier’s tape is loosely threaded together by interview clips and DJ drops that contextualize the Upper West Side native’s referential yet futuristic turn-up music. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 9 Dec. 2024 The series leads with a layer of referential humor, leaning on teen slasher-movie tropes, satanic panic lore, and familiar faces like Campbell, Camp, and Milly Shapiro, the unnerving girl from Hereditary. Judy Berman, TIME, 18 Oct. 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 25 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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