What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Reference vs Individual - What's the difference?

reference | individual |

As a noun individual is

a person considered alone, rather than as belonging to a group of people.

As an adjective individual is

relating to a single person or thing as opposed to more than one.

reference

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A relationship or relation ((to) something).
  • *, III.1.3:
  • all these are far more eminent and great, when they shall proceed from a sanctified spirit, that hath a true touch of religion and a reference to God.
  • A measurement one can compare to.
  • Information about a person, provided by someone (a referee) with whom they are well acquainted
  • A reference work.
  • (semantics) A relation between objects in which one object designates, or acts as a means by which to connect to or link to, another object.
  • (academic writing) A short written identification of a previously published work which is used as a source for a text.
  • (academic writing) A previously published written work thus indicated; a source.
  • (programming) An object containing information which refers to data stored elsewhere, as opposed to containing the data itself.
  • (programming, character entity) A special sequence used to represent complex characters in a web page such as ™ or €.
  • (obsolete) appeal
  • * Shakespeare
  • Make your full reference .

    Derived terms

    * * * * * * * *

    See also

    * sense

    Verb

    (referenc)
  • to refer to, to make reference to, to cite
  • Reference the dictionary for word meanings.
  • to mention
  • Usage notes

    * Some authorities object to the use of reference as a verb, preferring "refer to" or "cite".

    individual

    English

    Alternative forms

    * individuall (obsolete)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A person considered alone, rather than as belonging to a group of people.
  • (legal) A single physical human being as a legal subject, as opposed to a legal person such as a corporation.
  • * 1982 , Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms :
  • Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination […].
  • An object, be it a thing or an agent, as contrasted to a class.
  • * {{quote-book, year=2006, chapter=Identity and Individuality in Quantum Theory, title=Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, author=Steven French citation
  • , passage=It is typically held that chairs, trees, rocks, people and many of the so-called ‘everyday’ objects we encounter can be regarded as individuals .}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= Katrina G. Claw
  • , title= Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm , volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=In plants, the ability to recognize self from nonself plays an important role in fertilization, because self-fertilization will result in less diverse offspring than fertilization with pollen from another individual .}}
  • (lb) An element belonging to a population.
  • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Relating to a single person or thing as opposed to more than one.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838, page=71, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= End of the peer show , passage=Finance is seldom romantic. But the idea of peer-to-peer lending comes close. This is an industry that brings together individual savers and lenders on online platforms. Those that want to borrow are matched with those that want to lend.}}
  • Intended for a single person as opposed to more than one person.
  • Synonyms

    * (relating to a single person or thing) (l), (l) * (intended for a single person or thing) (l), (l)

    Antonyms

    * (relating to a single person or thing) (l) * (intended for a single person or thing) (l), (l), (l)

    Statistics

    * ----