reflection

American  

[ri-flek-shuhn] / rɪˈflɛk ʃən /

especially British, reflexion

noun

1. the act of reflecting, as in casting back a light or heat, mirroring, or giving back or showing an image; the state of being reflected in this way.

2. an image; representation; counterpart.

3. a fixing of the thoughts on something; careful consideration.

   Synonyms:

   thinking, study, cogitation, deliberation, rumination, meditation

4. a thought occurring in consideration or meditation.

5. an unfavorable remark or observation.

   Synonyms:

   criticism, reproach, aspersion, imputation

6. the casting of some imputation or reproach.

7. Physics, Optics.

   1. the return of light, heat, sound, etc., after striking a surface.

   2. something so reflected, as heat or especially light.

8. Mathematics.

   1. (in a plane) the replacement of each point on one side of a line by the point symmetrically placed on the other side of the line.

   2. (in space) the replacement of each point on one side of a plane by the symmetric point on the other side of the plane.

9. Anatomy. the bending or folding back of a part upon itself.

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reflection British  

/ rɪˈflɛkʃən /

noun

1. the act of reflecting or the state of being reflected

2. something reflected or the image so produced, as by a mirror

3. careful or long consideration or thought

4. implicit or explicit attribution of discredit or blame

5. maths a transformation in which the direction of one axis is reversed or which changes the sign of one of the variables

6. anatomy the bending back of a structure or part upon itself

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reflection Scientific  

/ rĭ-flĕk′shən /

1. The change in direction of a wave, such as a light or sound wave, away from a boundary the wave encounters. Reflected waves remain in their original medium rather than entering the medium they encounter.

2. ◆ According to the law of reflection, the angle of reflection of a reflected wave is equal to its angle of incidence.

3. Compare refraction See more at wave

4. Something, such as sound, light, or heat, that is reflected.

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reflection Cultural  

1. A bouncing of light off a surface. People see themselves in mirrors through reflection. (Compare refraction.)

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Other Word Forms

• interreflection
  noun
• nonreflection
  noun
• overreflection
  noun
• reflectional
  adjective
• reflectionless
  adjective
• self-reflection
  noun
• superreflection
  noun

Etymology

Origin of reflection

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin reflexiōn-, stem of reflexiō “a bending back,” from Latin reflex(us) “bent back” (past participle of reflectere; see reflect) + -iō -ion

Explanation

Your reflection is what you see in the mirror. Other things that bounce back at you are also reflections — light waves, sound waves, even your thoughts. Reflection comes from the Latin reflectere, made up of the prefix re-, "back," and flectere, "to bend." So it's bending something back: your reflection in the mirror is the light waves that bounce your image back at you. When you pause for reflection — serious thinking, that is — your thoughts are bending inward. Reflection can also be a consequence of something: the way your dog mopes around when you're away is a reflection of how much he misses you.

Example Sentences

Each class, he realized, could, like the song, identify a problem, discuss different approaches and end with reflection.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

The crowd is almost all local, a reflection of the diminishing appeal of this tiny coastal state among foreign tourists.

From BBC • May 16, 2026

At Harvard University, comedian Conan O’Brien delivered a commencement address rooted in self-deprecation and reflection on career longevity.

From Salon • May 16, 2026

I don’t mean this to sound braggy, but more a reflection of pride in building a sound, durable and balanced structure — hours and hours of spreadsheets, testing and retesting strategies.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

Then she caught a glimpse of her reflection, bedraggled and wide-eyed.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• consideration
• contemplation
• idea
• impression
• meditation
• observation
• opinion
• rumination
• view