cross-reference
UK[ˌkrɒs ˈrefrəns]US[ˌkrɔːs ˈrefrəns]
n
A note in a book or other piece of writing that tells the reader to look in another part of it for more information.
v
To direct a reader to another part of a text for more information by using a cross-reference.
Morpheme Breakdown
cross
reference
cross
across
reference
act of referring
Etymology
The term 'cross-reference' is a modern English compound, a logical and transparent combination of two established words. The first element, 'cross', draws from its ancient sense of something lying or moving across, derived from the Latin 'crux', which originally denoted a physical stake or cross. The second element, 'reference', originates from the Latin verb 'referre', meaning to carry or bring back information. When combined in the late 19th century, primarily in the context of indexing and scholarly work, the compound literally means "a referring across" from one point to another. This construction perfectly captures the functional logic of the concept: directing a reader's attention transversely within a text, rather than linearly, to connect related information.
Analysis
Structure: cross (across) + reference (act of referring)
- cross: From Old English 'cros', ultimately from Latin 'crux, crucis' (a cross, torture stake). In this compound, it functions as a prefix meaning "across," "transverse," or "reciprocal."
- reference: From Latin 'referre' (to carry back, report), via Old French. It is formed from 're-' (back) + 'ferre' (to bear, carry). In this word, it functions as a noun meaning "the act of referring or directing attention."
Examples
The encyclopedia entry includes a cross-reference to a related article on climate change.
Always cross-reference your sources to verify the accuracy of the information.
The index uses bold type for main entries and italics for cross-references.