Use referrer when the act of sending someone onward matters, especially in work, medicine, education, and recommendations. For a person who writes a character reference, referee or reference may be better in some varieties of English.
Use referrer when the act of sending someone onward matters, especially in work, medicine, education, and recommendations. For a person who writes a character reference, referee or reference may be better in some varieties of English.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The referer sent the patient to a specialist. | The referrer sent the patient to a specialist. |
| Ask the referee for their contact details. | Ask the referrer for their contact details. |
| Her referer was listed on the form. | Her referrer was listed on the form. |
Use referrer for the readable concept in analytics and web development. Use Referer when naming the actual HTTP request header, because that historical misspelling is the standard header name.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Check the Referrer header before serving the image. | Check the Referer header before serving the image. |
| The HTTP Referrer field may be empty. | The HTTP Referer field may be empty. |
| Read the referrer from Document.referer. | Read the referrer from Document.referrer. |
Use the double-r spelling for the normal noun and for the general web concept. Reserve Referer for the exact HTTP header name.
Referer replaces referrer in ordinary prose, and Referrer header replaces the standard Referer header in exact HTTP wording.
Formed from the verb refer plus the agent suffix -er, meaning one that refers. The web term is tied to HTTP history, where the request header was standardized with the misspelled name Referer, while the correctly spelled referrer remains common for the general concept and for related features such as document.referrer and Referrer-Policy.
What does referrer mean?
A referrer is a person, organization, document, web page, or URL that sends someone or something to another place.
Is referrer spelled with two r's?
Yes. The ordinary English word is spelled referrer, with double r after refer.
Why is the HTTP header called Referer?
The HTTP header name was standardized with the misspelling Referer, so that spelling remains the exact technical name.
What is a referrer in analytics?
In analytics, a referrer is the source page, site, or channel that sent a visitor to the current page.
Can a referrer be empty?
Yes. Direct visits, privacy settings, and referrer policies can leave the referrer empty or reduced.
What is the plural of referrer?
The plural is referrers.
Is referrer the same as referral?
No. A referrer is the source that sends someone onward, while a referral is the act, request, or lead created by that source.