Where does “referent” come from?
Referent comes from English refer, derived from Middle English referren, from Old French referer, from Latin referre, composed of the prefix re- and the root bʰer- meaning to carry or bear.
referent (English): The specific entity in the world that a word or...
Definitions
- The specific entity in the world that a word or...
Ancestry of “referent”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | refer | To direct the attention of; To submit to for... |
| 2 | Middle English | referren | — |
| 3 | Old French | referer | to tell; to talk about; to speak of |
| 4 | Latin | referre | present active infinitive of referō; to refer |
| 5 | Latin | ferre | present active infinitive of ferō; bring; carry |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |