Word
referral
Phoneticsre·fer·ral
US/ɹɪˈfɝəɫ/
UK/ɹɪfˈɜːɹəl/
Definitions
01medical or professional recommendation
n. the act of sending a person to a specialist for help or advice.
n. the process of directing a patient or client to a specialist or higher authority for professional consultation or treatment.
“My doctor gave me a referral to see a heart specialist next week.”
“The general practitioner issued an urgent referral to the oncology department after reviewing the patient's latest blood results.”
Usage
Often used with the verb 'make' or 'get'.
Synonyms
02business or job recommendation
n. when someone recommends you for a job or a service.
n. the act of recommending a person for a position or a service, often within a professional network.
“I got the job interview through a referral from a former colleague.”
“The company offers a significant bonus to any employee whose referral leads to a successful long-term hire.”
Usage
Commonly used in the context of 'referral programs' or 'employee referrals'.
Synonyms
03school discipline report
n. a formal note about a student's bad behavior sent to a school office.
n. a formal written report documenting a student's misconduct, typically resulting in a meeting with an administrator.
“He was sent to the principal's office with a referral for talking during the test.”
“After three verbal warnings, the teacher finally issued a formal referral for the student's persistent disruption of the lesson.”
American English · Slang
Usage
Primarily used in the United States school system.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Her father drank too much, and referrals were made to social services.” “Issa's case will now go before a referral judge in Damascus, who will decide whether it should proceed to a criminal court.” Etymology
From refer + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/referral