Referee vs. Referral — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 7, 2023
A referee is an official who ensures the rules of a sport are followed, while a referral is the act of directing someone to a different person or service for information or action.
Difference Between Referee and Referral
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Key Differences
Referees and referrals play crucial roles in their respective fields but represent different concepts. A referee is a figure of authority in sports and other competitive activities, tasked with enforcing rules and maintaining fair play. Their role is critical in deciding the outcomes of sports events, and they often have the final say in disputes on the field.
Referral, in contrast, involves the process of sending someone or something for consultation, review, or further action. It is common in professional services, where a client or case is directed to a specialist or agency better suited to handle specific needs or issues. Unlike referees, referrals are not about decision-making on the spot but about connecting resources and needs.
The term referee can also be used outside of sports, such as in academic publishing, where a referee would critically review a manuscript to ensure its suitability for publication. Here, the referee acts as a gatekeeper, ensuring that only quality content is approved.
A referral in the medical context often means a primary care doctor sending a patient to a specialist. The referral process is integral to patient care, ensuring individuals receive expert advice or treatment when a general practitioner's care is insufficient for the patient's condition.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Official in a game
Act of directing someone to a service
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Role
Enforce rules
Connect people to services
Context
Sports, academia
Medical, professional services
Outcome
Immediate decisions
Long-term assistance
Function
Decision-maker
Facilitator
Compare with Definitions
Referee
An official in sports.
The referee blew the whistle for a foul.
Referral
The act of sending someone to another source for help.
He received a referral to a specialist for his condition.
Referee
An individual who oversees the proper conduct of a game.
The referee issued three yellow cards during the match.
Referral
A recommendation of a person for a job or service.
She thanked her colleague for the referral to the open position.
Referee
A reviewer for academic journals.
The referee rejected the paper due to insufficient evidence.
Referral
A coupon or link that gives a benefit for new client acquisition.
She used her friend’s referral code to get a discount on the service.
Referee
A person who provides a recommendation.
She listed her former employer as a referee on her application.
Referral
A written statement directing someone to a resource.
The referral included all the details of the specialist’s practice.
Referee
A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other titles depending on the sport, including umpire, judge, arbiter (chess), commissaire, or technical official (by the International Olympic Committee).
Referral
The process of directing a patient to a specialist.
The doctor wrote a referral for her to see an orthopedist.
Referee
One to whom something is referred, especially for settlement, decision, or an opinion as to the thing's quality.
Referral
To direct to a source for help or information
Referred her to a heart specialist.
Referred me to his last employer for a recommendation.
Referee
Sports & Games An official supervising the play; an umpire.
Referral
To submit (a matter in dispute) to an authority for arbitration, decision, or examination.
Referee
(Law) A person appointed by a court to assist a judge in the trying of a case or to hear certain types of cases.
Referral
To direct the attention of
I refer you to the training manual.
Referee
To judge as referee.
Referral
To assign or attribute to; regard as originated by.
Referee
To act as referee.
Referral
To assign to or regard as belonging within a particular kind or class
Referred the newly discovered partita to the 1600s.
Referee
(sports) An umpire or judge; an official who makes sure the rules are followed during a game.
The referee kicked Jim out of the game for fighting.
Referral
To relate or pertain; concern
Questions referring to yesterday's lecture.
Referee
A person who settles a dispute.
Referral
To serve as a descriptor or have as a denotation
The word chair refers to a piece of furniture.
Referee
(UK) A person who writes a letter of reference or provides a reference by phone call for someone. US English: reference.
Your application, along with letters from three referees, should be received by January 31.
Referral
To speak or write about something briefly or incidentally; make reference
Referred during our conversation to several books he was reading.
Referee
An expert who judges the manuscript of an article or book to decide if it should be published.
Referral
To turn one's attention, as in seeking information
Refer to a dictionary.
Referee
To act as a referee.
He has to referee three hockey games this weekend.
She has to finish refereeing an article for Nature.
Referral
The act or process of transferring someone or something to another, of sending by reference, or referring.
The insurance company insists I get a referral from my regular doctor. I can't just go to the specialist; a GP has got to refer me.
Referee
One to whom a thing is referred; a person to whom a matter in dispute has been referred, in order that he may settle it.
Referral
(slang) A document used by schools detailing some form of a student's misbehavior and listing the actions taken before and after the student's receipt of the referral.
After misbehaving in class, George was given a referral for disrupting class and sent to the office.
Referee
(sports) the chief official (as in boxing or American football) who is expected to ensure fair play
Referral
A recommendation to consult the (professional) person referred to;
This patient is a referral from Dr. Bones
Referee
Someone who reads manuscripts and judges their suitability for publication
Referral
The act of referring (as forwarding an applicant for employment or referring a matter to an appropriate agency)
Referee
An attorney appointed by a court to investigate and report on a case
Referee
Be a referee or umpire in a sports competition
Referee
Evaluate professionally a colleague's work
Referee
Someone who mediates disputes.
The referee resolved the disagreement between the two players.
Common Curiosities
Is a referee always related to sports?
Primarily, though the term is also used in other areas like academic publishing.
Is a referral always medical?
No, referrals can be used in many contexts like jobs, services, or special offers.
Can a referee make mistakes?
Yes, referees are human and can make errors in judgment.
Can a referral result in a financial reward?
Yes, some referral programs offer financial incentives.
Do referees get trained?
Yes, referees typically undergo extensive training for their roles.
Can referees review academic papers?
Yes, in academia, referees review papers for journals.
Are referees only used in team sports?
No, referees are used in a wide range of individual and team sports.
How do referrals benefit businesses?
Referrals can bring in new customers through recommendations.
Can anyone give a referral?
Generally, yes, though some referrals, like medical ones, require professional authority.
Do referrals cost money?
Some referrals may have associated costs, but many are simply recommendations.
Can referees participate in the game?
No, referees are neutral and do not participate as players.
Is a referral a legal document?
It can be, especially in medical and legal fields.
What qualifications do referees need?
They need knowledge of the game rules and often a certification.
Can a referral be electronic?
Yes, many referrals are now made electronically.
Do referees make decisions off the field?
Typically, referees' decisions are limited to in-game actions.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
