Where does “nonreferent” come from?
nonreferent (English) comes from English referent, from English refer, from Middle English referren, from Old French referer, from Latin referre, from Latin ferre, from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- — shiny, light brown.
nonreferent (English): One who, or that which, is not a referent
Definitions
- One who, or that which, is not a referent
Ancestry of “nonreferent”, step by step
nonreferent traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English referent
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | referent | The specific entity in the world that a word or... |
| 2 | English | refer | To direct the attention of; To submit to for... |
| 3 | Middle English | referren | — |
| 4 | Old French | referer | to tell; to talk about; to speak of |
| 5 | Latin | referre | present active infinitive of referō; to refer |
| 6 | Latin | ferre | present active infinitive of ferō; bring; carry |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |