referent
/ˈrɛfərənt/
noun
- The thing that a word, phrase, or symbol refers to or stands for.
- When you say 'the president,' the referent changes depending on the country and time.
- In the sentence 'The cat sat on the mat,' the referent of 'cat' is the actual animal.
- A pronoun like 'she' needs a clear referent in the conversation so everyone knows who is being talked about.
Synonyms