referents
What words indicate
Referents are the things that words or symbols point to in the world.
When you say "that dog," the referent is the actual animal you're indicating.
In philosophy and linguistics, the distinction matters between a word's meaning and its referent—"the morning star" and "the evening star" have different meanings but the same referent (Venus).
The pronoun's referent was unclear from context.
Expressed meaning symbolically
- signifierMeaning-bearing form
- semioticsStudy of signs, symbols
- lexemeFundamental dictionary unit
- anaphoraRepeated opening words
demonstrative · pronoun · antecedent · noun phrase · semantics · pragmatics · polysemy · homonymy
Pictorial screen symbol
- emblemRepresentational sign or device
- signMark conveying information
- tokenRepresentative placeholder
- representationDepiction or likeness
indicator · marker · signal · badge · insignia · avatar · motif · totem
Word's explicit dictionary meaning
- significationExpressed or intended meaning
- designationFormal name or title
- indicationSign of what's coming
- sensePerception or judgment
definition · interpretation · connotation · implication · nuance · meaning · extension · comprehension
Tangible entity or aim
- personHuman individual
- placePosition or location
- thingUnspecified entity or matter
- conceptAbstract mental construct
idea · individual · instance · particular · concrete · abstract · real-world · class
signified
Expressed meaning symbolically
anaphora · demonstrative · pronoun · antecedent · noun phrase · semantics · pragmatics · polysemy · homonymy · extension
icon
Pictorial screen symbol
representation · indicator · marker · signal · badge · insignia · avatar · motif · totem · allegory
denotation
Word's explicit dictionary meaning
- significationExpressed or intended meaning
- designationFormal name or title
- indicationSign of what's coming
sense · definition · interpretation · connotation · implication · nuance · meaning · extension · comprehension · object
object
Tangible entity or aim
concept · idea · individual · instance · particular · concrete · abstract · real-world · class · category
encyclopedia
Comprehensive subject-matter collection
- dictionaryAlphabetical word reference
- thesaurusSynonym and antonym compendium
- glossaryAlphabetical list with definitions
lexicon · handbook · manual · guidebook · textbook · compendium · atlas · almanac · directory · catalogue
referentssignifiers
Symbols conveying meaning
symbols · signs · words · expressions · terms
referentssenses
Means of perception
meanings · concepts · connotations · ideas · abstractions
- points of referenceStandards for comparison or orientation
- reference guideInformational consultation resource
- reference worksPublications for looking things up
- reference listsCataloged source citations
- frame of referenceContext for judgment
- reference pointStandard for comparison
reference, references, referencing, referenced, referent, referential