reflection
/ɹɪˈflɛkʃən/ noun
Forms reflections reflexion
- noun The act of reflecting or the state of being reflected.
- noun The property of a propagated wave being thrown back from a surface (such as a mirror).
- noun Something, such as an image, that is reflected. “The dog barked at his own reflection in the mirror.”
- noun Careful thought or consideration. “After careful reflection, I have decided not to vote for that proposition.”
- noun A representative manifestation or outcome of a condition, trend or trait. “Our recent results are a reflection of the progress we've made as a team.”
- noun (followed by on) Used to make an implied criticism. “It is a reflection on his character that he never came back to see them.”
- noun (computing) The process or mechanism of determining the capabilities of an object at run-time.
- noun (anatomy) The folding of a part; a fold.
Synonyms
cogitation contemplation deliberation mulling musing pondering meditation rethinking reconsideration rumination thought reflexion thoughtfulness expression manifestation mirror image observation reflectivity
Etymology
From Middle English refleccion, refleccioun, refleccioune, reflection, from Middle French reflection, reflexion, and its source Late Latin reflexiō, from the participle stem of reflectō. The current spelling is influenced by reflect. Equivalent to reflect + -ion.
Webster’s 1913
- noun The act of reflecting, or turning or sending back, or the state of being reflected. Specifically: (a) The return of rays, beams, sound, or the like, from a surface.
- noun Shining; brightness, as of the sun. [Obs.] Shak.
Etymology [L. reflexio: cf. F. réflexion. See Riflect.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “reflection”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details