[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/referral/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [R](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/r/) / referral

# referral

noun (a referral, referrals)

«referral» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A referral is the act of sending someone to another person or place that can help them better, especially from a family doctor to a specialist. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/referral/#m1)
2. A referral is also the letter or note that does this. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/referral/#m2)
3. (money, business) A referral is when a customer recommends a shop or service to someone else, sometimes for a reward. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/referral/#m3)

### In the lessons

In health and adult life, a GP gives a referral to a hospital specialist. In school, a teacher may make a referral to a school nurse, counsellor or speech therapist. In shops and apps, "refer a friend" schemes give rewards for referrals. Phrases: "get a referral", "a referral to", "referral letter", "self-referral".

### Examples

- The doctor gave my brother a referral to an eye specialist. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/referral/#x1)
- We are waiting for a referral letter from the hospital. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/referral/#x2)
- My teacher made a referral to the speech therapist. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/referral/#x3)
- The dentist sent a referral to the orthodontist about my teeth. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/referral/#x4)
- The gym gives you a free month for every referral. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/referral/#x5)
- Most of the shop's new customers come from referrals. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/referral/#x6)

### Note

Countable: a referral, referrals. Verb: refer ("the doctor referred me"), past: referred (double r). Spelled with double r and one l: referral. In UK health care, you usually need a referral from a GP to see a specialist.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «referral» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/referral/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«referral» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/referral.html) on Mova free.