Dictionary

reflect en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ɹɪˈflɛkt/

Etymology

From Old French reflecter (“to bend back, turn back”), from Latin reflectō (“to reflect”), from re- (“again”) + flectō (“to bend, to curve”). Compare English reflex.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.
   • A mirror reflects the light that shines on it.
2. (intransitive) To be bent back (light, etc.) from a surface.
   • The moonlight reflected from the surface of water.
3. (transitive) To mirror, or show the image of something.
   • The shop window reflected his image as he walked past.
4. (intransitive) To be mirrored.
   • His image reflected from the shop window as he walked past.
5. (transitive) To agree with; to closely follow.
   • Entries in English dictionaries aim to reflect common usage.
6. (transitive) To give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.
   • The teacher's ability reflects well on the school.
   • With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get[…] 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page vii:
   • The admirable smoothness of the riding also reflected the greatest credit on those who, despite the difficulties caused by the shortage of men and materials, have succeeded in maintaining the track in such first-class order. 1946 July and August, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 213:
   • The team's victory reflects the Captain's abilities.
7. (intransitive) To think seriously; to ponder or consider.
   • Standing on the mountain above Caerphilly, one may reflect upon the gap where once stood Llanbradach Viaduct, and look near at hand upon the restored ruins of Caerphilly Castle; man labours to rebuild the mediaeval whilst he ruthlessly scraps the modern. 1939 September, D. S. Barrie, “The Railways of South Wales”, in Railway Magazine, page 165:
   • People do that sort of thing every day, without ever stopping to reflect on the consequences.
   • Not for the first time, he reflected that it was not so much the speeches that strained the nerves as the palaver that went with them. 1985, Justin Richards, Option Lock, page 229:
   • Sitting on the dockside at Oban, watching the to-ing and fro-ing in the harbour on a perfect summer's eve, I reflect on a trip which has taken me through our busiest cities to traverse the country's main lines, as well as explore some of the furthest extremities that were literally out on a limb. 2022 November 30, Paul Bigland, “Destination Oban: a Sunday in Scotland”, in RAIL, number 971, page 79:

Forms

Deriveds

reflectarray · reflectin · retroreflect · reflectograph · reflectography · reflectible · reflectance · reflector · reflectable · reflectorize · reflectron · reflect upon · reflective · nonreflective · reflexion · misreflect · reflecting microscope · self-reflect · reflect on · reflectoporn · unreflective · reflectometry · reflectability · reflectogram · reflectometer

Translations (227)

la video (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · eo pripensi (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · bg отразявам (to bend back from a surface) · th สะท้อน (to be bent back from a surface) · hu tükröz (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · es reflejar (to mirror, or show the image of something) · nb gjenspeile (to agree with; to closely follow) · hu tükröz (to bend back from a surface) · ru отража́ть (to bend back from a surface) · hu gondolkodik (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · nn reflektere (to mirror, or show the image of something) · nb reflektere (to mirror, or show the image of something) · he חשב (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · nb reflektere (to agree with; to closely follow) · eo reflekti (to bend back from a surface) · lo ຄິດຄືນຫຼັງ (to mirror, or show the image of something) · fr se refléter (to be mirrored) · yue 考慮 /考虑 (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · ang glitnian (to bend back from a surface) · et kajastama (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · he שיקף (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · ja 跳ね返す (to bend back from a surface) · ka არეკვლა (to mirror, or show the image of something) · mn бодож эргэцүүлэх (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · no avspeile (to mirror, or show the image of something) · fi kuvastaa (to mirror, or show the image of something) · ja 反映する (to agree with; to closely follow) · pl odbijać się (to be bent back from a surface) · sv reflektera (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · fi heijastaa (to bend back from a surface) · hi चिंतन करना (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · uk відбива́ти (to bend back from a surface) · ko 반사하다 (to mirror, or show the image of something) · de widerspiegeln (to mirror, or show the image of something) · nb reflektere (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · hi प्रतिबिंबित होना (to be bent back from a surface) · ar عَكَسَ (to mirror, or show the image of something) · ja 反射する (to be bent back from a surface) · lo ສະທ້ອນກັບ (to mirror, or show the image of something) · es discurrir (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · th สะท้อน (to agree with; to closely follow) · he הרהר (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · fi pohtia (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · de spiegeln (to bend back from a surface) · fa سنجیدن (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · nl weerkaatsen (to bend back from a surface) · hi प्रतिबिंबित करना (to bend back from a surface) · it riflettere (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · fi kuvastaa (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · cs zrcadlit (to mirror, or show the image of something) · nb gjenspeile (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · et peegeldama (to bend back from a surface) · az qaytarmaq (to bend back from a surface) · ja 映す (to mirror, or show the image of something) · mi whakaata (to mirror, or show the image of something) · es recapacitar (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · bg отразявам се (to be mirrored) · it essere riflesso (to be mirrored) · hi प्रतिबिंबित करना (to mirror, or show the image of something) · hu gondolkozik (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · it seguire (to agree with; to closely follow) · es reflectar (to mirror, or show the image of something) · bg отразявам (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · io reflektar (to mirror, or show the image of something) · bg отразявам се (to be bent back from a surface) · mn ойх тусах (to mirror, or show the image of something) · hy արտացոլվել (to be bent back from a surface) · fr réfléchir (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · km ជះស្រមោល (to be bent back from a surface) · hu belegondol (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · cmn 反射 (to mirror, or show the image of something) · ja 跳ね返る (to be bent back from a surface) · de reflektieren (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · fi heijastua (to be mirrored) · mi whakaata (to bend back from a surface) · pl odbić (to bend back from a surface) · cs odrážet (to bend back from a surface) · tr yansımak (to be bent back from a surface) · pt refletir (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · hi प्रतिबिंबित होना (to be mirrored) · eo speguli (to mirror, or show the image of something) · da tænke over (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · nl overwegen (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · uk розду́мувати (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · mn дүрслэх (to mirror, or show the image of something) · hu eltöpreng (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · nb reflektere (to bend back from a surface) · kk шағылысу (to bend back from a surface) · es reflexionar (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · he החזיר (to be bent back from a surface) · fr suivre (to agree with; to closely follow) · km ធ្វើឲ្យឃើញស្រមោល (to bend back from a surface) · he שיקף (to mirror, or show the image of something) · kk шағылу (to bend back from a surface) · bg отразявам (to mirror, or show the image of something) · hu tükröződik (to be mirrored) · hu visszaverődik (to be bent back from a surface) · fr refléter (to agree with; to closely follow) · es reflejar (to bend back from a surface) · nn spegle (to mirror, or show the image of something) · it riflettere (to mirror, or show the image of something) · nn reflektere (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · fi pohdiskella (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · ru отрази́ть (to mirror, or show the image of something) · uk відбива́тися (to bend back from a surface) · cs odrážet (to mirror, or show the image of something) · hy արտացոլվել (to be mirrored) · fi kuvastua (to be bent back from a surface) · hy խորհել (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · nl weerkaatsen (to mirror, or show the image of something) · fr réfléchir (to mirror, or show the image of something) · tr yansıtmak (to bend back from a surface) · it riflettere (to agree with; to closely follow) · nb reflektere (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · it riflettere (to be bent back from a surface) · ko 반사(反射)하다 (to bend back from a surface) · cmn 反映 (to mirror, or show the image of something) · ja 反射する (to bend back from a surface) · et peegelduma (to be bent back from a surface) · hu tükröz (to mirror, or show the image of something) · fi reflektoida (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · et kajastama (to agree with; to closely follow) · de zurückspiegeln (to bend back from a surface) · gd saoil (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · it riflettere (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · hu visszaver (to bend back from a surface) · de nachdenken (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · pl odbijać (to bend back from a surface) · nn reflektere (to bend back from a surface) · hy արտացոլել (to bend back from a surface) · fr refléter (to be bent back from a surface) · es reflejar (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · ja 反映する (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · it riflettere (to bend back from a surface) · th สะท้อน (to mirror, or show the image of something) · de reflektieren (to bend back from a surface) · ru размы́слить (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · gd cnuasaich (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · de sich spiegeln (to be bent back from a surface) · te పరావర్తనం చెందు (to be bent back from a surface) · vi phản chiếu (to mirror, or show the image of something) · hy արտացոլել (to mirror, or show the image of something) · hy արտացոլել (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · hy անդրադառնալ (to be bent back from a surface) · pt refletir (to mirror, or show the image of something) · hy անդրադառնալ (to be mirrored) · gd meòraich (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · es reflectar (to bend back from a surface) · fi kuvastua (to be mirrored) · pl odbić (to mirror, or show the image of something) · el ανακλώ (to bend back from a surface) · cs odrazit (to mirror, or show the image of something) · hy մտորել (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · cmn 考慮 /考虑 (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · es reflejarse (to be bent back from a surface) · fi vastata (to agree with; to closely follow) · he החזיר (to bend back from a surface) · da reflektere (to bend back from a surface) · hu tükröz (to agree with; to closely follow) · hu elmélkedik (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · ru отрази́ть (to bend back from a surface) · km បញ្ចាំងឲ្យឃើញ (to mirror, or show the image of something) · nl weerspiegelen (to mirror, or show the image of something) · mn тусгах (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · fr refléter (to mirror, or show the image of something) · ja 反射する (to mirror, or show the image of something) · ka არეკვლა (to bend back from a surface) · es deliberar (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · ga athfhill (to be bent back from a surface) · pl odbić się (to be bent back from a surface) · ru отража́ться (to bend back from a surface) · fr réfléchir (to bend back from a surface) · nn reflektere (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · de gespiegelt werden (to be bent back from a surface) · gd smaoinich (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · fi heijastua (to be bent back from a surface) · fi miettiä (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · hi विचारना (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · fr refléter (to bend back from a surface) · no gjenspeile (to mirror, or show the image of something) · de sinnen (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · pl odbijać (to mirror, or show the image of something) · ru отража́ть (to mirror, or show the image of something) · az dəf etmək (to bend back from a surface) · pl odbić się (to be mirrored) · uk відобра́жати (to mirror, or show the image of something) · th สะท้อน (to be mirrored) · hu töpreng (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · mi huritao (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · ca reflectir (to bend back from a surface) · ca reflexionar (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · da reflektere (to mirror, or show the image of something) · ka ასახვა (to mirror, or show the image of something) · it evidenziare (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · bg размишлявам (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · th สะท้อน (to bend back from a surface) · it riportare (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · nl nadenken (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · es elucubrar (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · de reflektieren (to mirror, or show the image of something) · fr s'accorder (to agree with; to closely follow) · nb speile (to mirror, or show the image of something) · da reflektere (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · es cavilar (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · nb gjennomtenke (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · km ជះស្រមោល (to bend back from a surface) · he ביטא (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · ga athfhill (to bend back from a surface) · fr refléter (to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.) · pl odbijać się (to be mirrored) · nn tenkje over (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · az əks etdirmək (to bend back from a surface) · fi heijastaa (to mirror, or show the image of something) · pt refletir (to bend back from a surface) · tr yansıtmak (to mirror, or show the image of something) · ka ასხლეტა (to bend back from a surface) · nb tenke over (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · ru размышля́ть (to think seriously; to ponder or consider) · hy անրադարձնել (to mirror, or show the image of something) · sv återkasta (to mirror, or show the image of something) · hy անդրադարձնել (to bend back from a surface) · ja 映る (to be mirrored) · ko 반영(反映)하다 (to agree with; to closely follow) · ru отрази́ться (to bend back from a surface) · da spejle (to mirror, or show the image of something) · hu tükröződik (to be bent back from a surface) · syc ܥܛܦ (to bend back from a surface)