Present participle of refer; mentioning or alluding to something; directing attention to a source of information.
From Latin 'referre' (re- 'back' + ferre 'to bear, carry'). Originally meant to carry back or report, later extended to mean directing attention to something else.
Referring literally means 'carrying back' - when we refer to something, we're mentally carrying our audience back to a previous source or idea. The same root gives us 'reference' and 'referee', both involving this carrying-back function.
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