anaphor

Etymology

Back-formation from anaphora.

noun

1. (linguistics) An expression referring to another expression. In stricter uses, an expression referring to something earlier in the discourse or, even more strictly, only reflexive and reciprocal pronouns.
   Thus far, we have established that each other is an NP [noun phrase] which functions as a reciprocal anaphor requiring to take its reference from some antecedent elsewhere in the sentence, and that themselves is an NP which functions as a reflexive anaphor which also requires an antecedent to take its reference from. 1988, Andrew Radford, Transformational grammar: a first course, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, page 117