back-reference

[/ˈbæk ˈrɛfərəns/]
nounpl: back-references
referência anterior
1. A reference to something mentioned or defined earlier in a text, document, or computer program
The footnote contains a back-reference to the main text on page 5.
A nota de rodapé contém uma referência anterior ao texto principal na página 5.
2. In regular expressions and programming, a reference to a previously captured group or pattern
In regex, \1 is a back-reference to the first capturing group.
Em expressões regulares, \1 é uma referência anterior ao primeiro grupo capturado.
3. A link or pointer that directs to a prior location or source document
The academic paper uses back-references to earlier research to build its argument.
O artigo acadêmico usa referências anteriores a pesquisas anteriores para construir seu argumento.
This is primarily a technical term used in programming, linguistics, and academic writing. In Brazil, it appears frequently in software development documentation and computer science education. The term is often kept in English even in Portuguese-language technical contexts due to its standardization in international programming communities.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
backward referenceprior referenceprevious reference
Antonyms / Antônimos
forward referencesubsequent reference

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
referência anterior
Most common term in Brazilian Portuguese technical documentation
Brazil Technical
retroreferência
Used in some programming and linguistic contexts
Portugal
referência retrospetiva
European Portuguese variant, less commonly used
International Technical
back-reference
Term often kept in English in technical documentation across Portuguese-speaking regions

Related Words

cross-referencecitationhyperlinkbackreference

Related Idioms & Phrases

make a back-reference to
contain back-references
trace back-references
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