referable

Referable is an adjective used in English to describe something that can be referred to, cited, or redirected for consideration, evaluation, or action. It denotes that a source, person, or authority has a role to direct attention or attribution to it. In general use, referable information is suitable to be used as a reference in discussion or research.

In medical and healthcare contexts, referable commonly describes signs, symptoms, or results that warrant referral to a specialist or additional diagnostic workup. Guidelines or screening protocols may specify referable criteria, indicating when a patient should be transferred from primary care to more expert assessment. For example, a persistent skin lesion may be deemed referable to dermatology, or new-onset chest pain may be referable to cardiology, depending on the clinical features and risk factors. The term emphasizes action based on predefined criteria rather than attribution alone.

In scholarly writing, referable information is that which can be supported by a credible source. A claim should be referable to evidence or a cited reference to maintain reliability. In general discourse, referable can also mean that something can be attributed to a particular source or cause, as in “the outcome is referable to the intervention.”

Etymology: derived from the verb refer, via Latin referre, with the adjectival suffix -able.

See also: reference, referral, referent, attribution.