reflection

American  

[ri-flek-shuhn] / rɪˈflɛk ʃən /

especially British, reflexion

noun

• reflections
  plural

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• reflections
  plural

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

See Examples For:

reflection reflections

Carrick's "we want more, we need more" assessment of the situation last week was an accurate reflection of the situation.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

That this is a reflection of America is taken as a given, the same way “Love Is Blind” contestants don’t feel the need to mention their evangelical beliefs.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham called for "reflection" Saturday after the death of Jason Arday, as the former Cambridge academic's family denounced what they called years of harassment amid plagiarism accusations.

From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026

“Across all consumers, only 8% expect their income growth to exceed inflation in the year ahead … a reflection of the belief that high prices will continue to be burdensome,” she wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

And now, I’m standing so close to the glass, I can almost see myself in its reflection: the faint curve of my cheek, the straight line of my nose, the dark gleam of my eyes.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

A pair of heartwarming World Cup reflections: Soccer stirs up all sorts of emotions for fans.

From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026

Her reflections also challenge the way the public and political conversation has evolved.

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026

Her comedic jabs at the American economy and humorous reflections juxtapose somber moments of stillness in the midst of her struggles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026

The alternative is to look at their own reflections — and they wouldn’t like what they would see.

From Salon ● Jun. 24, 2026

I point out our reflections in the oven window.

From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle

Related Words

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