Meaning

noun a remark that calls attention to something or someone

noun a short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage

noun an indicator that orients you generally

originFrom Middle French référence, from Medieval Latin referentia, nominative neuter plural of referēns, present participle of referō (“return, reply”, literally “carry back”). Morphologically refer + -ence.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0