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A reference is someone you can rely on to put in a good word for you when applying for a job. Or, a reference might be an outside source you use in a research paper.
A reference section contains only those works indeed cited in the main text of a work. In contrast, a bibliographical section often contains works not cited by the author, but used as background reading or listed as potentially useful to the reader.
a direction of the attention, as in a book, to some other book, passage, etc.: [uncountable] You make reference to several authors in your paper. [countable] the use of references in a term paper.
Reference (noun): A standard for comparison or evaluation. The word "reference" primarily refers to mentioning or citing a source or information used for clarification or proof.
In a piece of writing, a reference is a direction or citation leading a reader to another book or passage for more information, as in The author listed several references at the bottom of the page.
Usage Note: Though originally a noun, reference is often used as a transitive verb meaning "to supply (a book, article, or other work) with references." People also use the verb to mean "To cite as a reference" or simply "To mention or allude to."
