Referent (noun)

A person or thing to which a word or expression refers.

Origin:

From latin referentem, present participle of referre ("to carry bac.k")

Examples:

1. In the sentence 'The cat is on the mat', the referent of the word 'cat' is a specific feline animal.
2. The referent of the pronoun 'he' can only be determined by the context in which it is used.
3. The referent of the term 'love' is a complex and multi-faceted concept.
4. The referent of the word 'success' is different for each person and depends on their individual goals and values.
5. The referent of the symbol '$' varies depending on the country and the currency in use.