mirror

[ mir-er ]

See synonyms for mirror on Thesaurus.com

noun

a reflecting surface, originally of polished metal but now usually of glass with a silvery, metallic, or amalgam backing.
such a surface set into a frame, attached to a handle, etc., for use in viewing oneself or as an ornament.

any reflecting surface, as the surface of calm water under certain lighting conditions.
Optics. a surface that is either plane, concave, or convex and that reflects rays of light.
something that gives a minutely faithful representation, image, or idea of something else: Gershwin's music was a mirror of its time.
a pattern for imitation; exemplar: a man who was the mirror of fashion.
a glass, crystal, or the like, used by magicians, diviners, etc.

verb (used with object)

to reflect in or as if in a mirror.
to reflect as a mirror does.

to mimic or imitate (something) accurately.
to be or give a faithful representation, image, or idea of: Her views on politics mirror mine completely.

adjective

Music. (of a canon or fugue) capable of being played in retrograde or in inversion, as though read in a mirror placed beside or below the music.

Idioms about mirror

with mirrors, by or as if by magic.

Origin of mirror

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English mirour, from Old French mireo(u)r, equivalent to mir(er) “to look at” + -eo(u)r, from Latin -ātor, noun suffix of agency; see mirage,see -ator

Other words for mirror

6	model, epitome, paradigm

See synonyms for mirror on Thesaurus.com

Other words from mirror

mir·ror·like, adjective
un·mir·rored, adjective

Words that may be confused with mirror

mere, mirror

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mirror in a sentence

It almost mirrors the Buddhist cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
The Buddhist Business of Poaching Animals for Good Karma | Brendon Hong | December 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Neither Iran nor Hezbollah has confirmed these links, but the rhetoric and campaign style of the Houthis mirrors that of both.
Yemen’s a Model All Right—For Disaster | Michael Shank , Casey Harrity | November 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The academy has faux-marble halls, long mirrors, and gold-color-painted details.
Russia’s Gold Digger Academy | Peter Pomerantsev | November 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The lines in Until We Could about love are gorgeous: “Two mirrors face to face with no end… Yes, I counted your eyelashes.”
Watch This Amazing Ode to Marriage Equality, by Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco | Tim Teeman | September 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
“Much of what happens in the show mirrors the story of Siddhartha,” Jablonski says.
Is ‘Satisfaction’ a Love Story That’s Too Real About Sex and Marriage? | David Masciotra | September 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Glass chandeliers were suspended from the roof; handsome mirrors were intermixed with the prints and pictures.
Journal of a Voyage to Brazil | Maria Graham
Grace was the Gibson type, tall and slender and fair-haired and very pretty, with a decided liking for looking in mirrors.
The Outdoor Girls in the Saddle | Laura Lee Hope
In practice it is seldom necessary to touch the adjusting screws of the mirrors themselves.
Photographs of Nebul and Clusters | James Edward Keeler
The lookouts gave free vision in all directions except directly below the hull, and a series of mirrors corrected this defect.
Astounding Stories, May, 1931 | Various
Inside there was a fire burning, furs strewn about the floor, metal urns and even mirrors hung on the rough stone walls.
Valley of the Croen | Lee Tarbell

British Dictionary definitions for mirror

mirror

/ (ˈmɪrə) /

noun

a surface, such as polished metal or glass coated with a metal film, that reflects light without diffusion and produces an image of an object placed in front of it
such a reflecting surface mounted in a frame

any reflecting surface
a thing that reflects or depicts something else: the press is a mirror of public opinion

verb

(tr) to reflect, represent, or depict faithfully: he mirrors his teacher's ideals

Origin of mirror

C13: from Old French from mirer to look at, from Latin mīrārī to wonder at

Derived forms of mirror

mirror-like, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for mirror

mirror

[ mĭr′ər ]

An object that causes light or other radiation to be reflected from its surface, with little or no diffusion. Common mirrors consist of a thin sheet or film of metal, such as silver, behind or covering a glass pane. Mirrors are used extensively in telescopes, microscopes, lasers, fiber optics, measuring instruments, and many other devices. See more at reflection.

Browse