refer: [14] To refer something is etymologically to ‘carry it back’. The word comes via Old French referer from Latin referre, a compound verb formed from the prefix re- ‘back’ and ferre ‘carry’ (source of English fertile and related to English bear). Of its derivatives, referee [16] is an English coinage, and referendum [19] is an adoption of the neuter gerundive of referre – literally, ‘that which is to be referred’. Relātus, which was used as the past participle of Latin referre, has given English relate. => bear, referee, referendum
refer (v.)
late 14c., "to trace back (to a first cause), attribute, assign," from Old French referer (14c.) and directly from Latin referre "to relate, refer," literally "to carry back," from re- "back" (see re-) + ferre "carry" (see infer). Meaning "to commit to some authority for a decision" is from mid-15c.; sense of "to direct (someone) to a book, etc." is from c. 1600. Related: Referred; referring.