Meaning & use
frame of reference
A set of ideas, experiences, or standards that a person uses to understand and judge situations.
See it in a sentence
Coming from a small town, she had a different frame of reference for what counted as a big city.
Teachers should consider a student's frame of reference when explaining unfamiliar concepts.
A note on using this word
Frame of reference is also a technical term in physics for a coordinate system used to measure motion; context makes clear which sense is meant.
Words with a similar meaning
perspectiveviewpoint
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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