Where does “refer” come from?
Refer comes from Middle English referren, from Old French referer, from Latin referre, formed from the prefix re- and the root bʰer- meaning to carry or bear.
refer (English): To direct the attention of; To submit to for...
Definitions
- To direct the attention of; To submit to for...
Ancestry of “refer”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | referren | — |
| 2 | Old French | referer | to tell; to talk about; to speak of |
| 3 | Latin | referre | present active infinitive of referō; to refer |
| 4 | Latin | ferre | present active infinitive of ferō; bring; carry |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |
Words derived from “refer”