a book, such as an encyclopedia, dictionary, etc, from which information may be obtained
2. South Africa another name for passbook (sense 4)
Examples of 'reference book' in a sentence
reference book
Getting acquainted with a plant takes time and it isn't cheating to consult a good reference book, but pictures and descriptions have their limitations.
Eddison, Sydney A Patchwork Garden: Unexpected Pleasures from a Country Garden (1990)