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Glite Dictionary
anaphoric

anaphoric

9.6
Relating to a word that refers back to an earlier word, like a pronoun
  • adjective
  • /əˈnæfərɪk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : anafórico
  • In the sentence, 'Samantha lost her keys, and she couldn't find them,' the word 'them' is anaphoric because it refers back to 'keys.'

Examples

  • As children's stories become more mature and decontextualized, deictic links are replaced by anaphoric expressions, which refer backward or forward to another linguistic element within the conversation or text.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Both elements are anaphoric, that is, dependent on a previous discourse referent (Kamp & Reyle, 1993).

    Academic text (2012)

  • The anaphoric "Poured forth" allows Eliot to emphasize the cathartic freedom with which the artist performs his work.

    Academic text (2016)

  • Here the customary address functions of you subordinate themselves to the referential (one might well say "anaphoric") functions of the pronoun.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The children with LI used significantly fewer correct anaphoric pronouns (those linking back to previous words in the discourse) compared to their TD peers.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Teaching anaphoric relationships to 3rd graders was the focus of Baumann's (1986) study, which depended on the application of a direct instructional method in teaching textual anaphora.

    Academic text (2008)

  • An anaphoric reference helps readers understand that 'the bird' in the next sentence is the same as 'the sparrow' mentioned earlier.

  • When analyzing texts, it is important to identify anaphoric expressions that connect sentences and maintain coherence.

Compounds

anaphoric pronoun
  • Specialized
8.7

A pronoun that refers to a word or name mentioned earlier in the text

anaphoric relation
  • Specialized
9.1

A link between a pronoun and the word that shows who or what it means

Surface Forms

anaphoric positive

Morphology

anaphoric = anaphora (transparent) = anaphora + ic

Formed by the regular adjective suffix '-ic' from the noun 'anaphora', so the meaning 'relating to anaphora' is directly derived.

Etymology

Anaphoric comes from the Greek parts ana- 'back' and -phor 'carry', like in the familiar word metaphor. It means 'carrying back', so an anaphoric word refers to something said earlier, which is why the pronoun 'she' can refer to 'Maria' in the previous sentence.