WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
co•ref•er•ence
(kō ref′ər əns, -ref′rəns),USA pronunciation n. [Ling.]
- Linguisticsa relationship between two words or phrases in which both refer to the same person or thing and one stands as a linguistic antecedent of the other, as the two pronouns in She taught herself but not in She taught her.
- co- + reference