Pointer vs. Reference — What's the Difference?

A long tapered stick or a laser beacon used to call attention to objects, as on a chart or blackboard.

Reference is a relationship between objects in which one object designates, or acts as a means by which to connect to or link to, another object. The first object in this relation is said to refer to the second object.

A scale indicator on a watch, balance, or other measuring instrument.

The act of referring to something

A dog of a breed developed in Europe to point game, having a smooth, short-haired coat that is often white with black or brownish markings.

Significance for a specified matter; relation or relationship

A dog of any of various similar breeds.

Meaning or denotation

A piece of advice; a suggestion

A mention of an occurrence or situation

A piece of indicative information

A note in a publication referring the reader to another passage or source.

(Computers) A variable that holds the address of a core storage location.

The passage or source so referred to.

(Computers) A symbol appearing on a display screen in a GUI that lets the user select a command by clicking with a pointing device or pressing the enter key when the pointer symbol is positioned on the appropriate button or icon.

A work frequently used as a source.

Either of the two stars in the Big Dipper, Dubhe and Merak, that are aligned so that a line drawn between them extends north to Polaris, the north star.

A mark or footnote used to direct a reader elsewhere for additional information.

Anything that points or is used for pointing.

Submission of a case to a referee.

A teacher's pointer, pointing stick, a rod with an arrow.

Legal proceedings conducted before or by a referee.

A needle-like component of a timepiece or measuring device that indicates the time or the current reading of the device.

A person who recommends another or who can vouch for another's fitness or qualifications, as for a job.

(hunting) A breed of hunting dog, trained to point out game.

A statement about a person's qualifications, character, and dependability.

(programming) A variable that holds the address of a memory location where a value can be stored.

To supply (a text) with references

(graphical user interface) An icon that indicates the position of the pointing device, such as a mouse.

To cite as a reference

A tip, a bit of advice.

Usage Problem To mention or allude to

Something that gives a point sharp end to something.

A relationship or relation (to something).

(in combinations) Something worth a given number of points.

A measurement one can compare (some other measurement) to.

One who, or that which, points.

Information about a person, provided by someone (a referee) with whom they are well acquainted.

A mark to indicate a direction or relation

A person who provides this information; onlyn in UK English: a referee.

An indicator as on a dial

A reference work.

(computer science) indicator consisting of a movable spot of light (an icon) on a visual display; moving the cursor allows the user to point to commands or screen positions

(attributive) That which serves as a reference work.

A strong slender smooth-haired dog of Spanish origin having a white coat with brown or black patches; scents out and points game

The act of referring: a submitting for information or decision.

(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.

(computing) An object containing information which refers to data stored elsewhere, as opposed to containing the data itself.

A special sequence used to represent complex characters in markup languages, such as ™ for the ™ symbol.

(obsolete) Appeal.

To provide a list of references for (a text).

To refer to, to use as a reference.

To mention, to cite.

(programming) To contain the value that is a memory address of some value stored in memory.

The act of referring, or the state of being referred; as, reference to a chart for guidance.

That which refers to something; a specific direction of the attention; as, a reference in a text-book.

Relation; regard; respect.

One who, or that which, is referred to.

The act of submitting a matter in dispute to the judgment of one or more persons for decision.

Appeal.

A remark that calls attention to something or someone;

A short note recognizing a source of information or of a quoted passage;

An indicator that orients you generally;

A book to which you can refer for authoritative facts;

A formal recommendation by a former employer to a potential future employer describing the person's qualifications and dependability;

The most direct or specific meaning of a word or expression; the class of objects that an expression refers to;

The act of referring or consulting;

A publication (or a passage from a publication) that is referred to;

The relation between a word or phrase and the object or idea it refers to;

Refer to;