a person whose case has been referred to a specialist or professional group
"the patient is a referral from Dr. Bones"
a recommendation to consult the (professional) person or group to whom one has been referred
"the insurance company says that you need a written referral from your physician before seeing a specialist"
the act of referring (as forwarding an applicant for employment or referring a matter to an appropriate agency)
"The HR manager approved my referral to forward the job candidate directly to our recruitment team."
The act or process of transferring someone or something to another, of sending by reference, or referring.
"After my primary care doctor diagnosed a rare condition, she made an immediate referral to the specialized clinic in Chicago for further treatment."
In plain English: A referral is when someone sends you to another person or place for help because they think that person has the right skills to do it better.
"The doctor sent me a referral to a specialist for further tests."
Usage: A referral typically refers to directing a patient to a specialist or recommending one person's services to another based on professional judgment. Unlike general recommendations made for personal reasons, referrals often involve formal processes where the original provider initiates contact with the recipient.
The word referral comes from combining the verb refer with the suffix -al to indicate an action or result. It entered English as a noun describing the act of sending someone to another person for advice or services.