reflect

Pronunciation

• IPA: /rɪˈflekt/, /rəˈflekt/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English reflecten, borrowed from Old French reflecter and directly from Latin reflectere (“to bend back, turn away”),^[2][3][4] from re- (“back”) and flectere (“to bend”).^[2][3] See flexible.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

To turn or bend back: 1392 in Barnhart, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

To divert or deflect is from before 1420, in Lydgate's Troy Book.^[3][5] To throw back light, of mirrors and surfaces, is from 1429 in Barnhart and the early 15th century in Etymonline, probably from the earlier sense of reflection;^[3][2] it was later used of heat and sound too.^[2] To turn one's thoughts back on something, to ponder, is from before 1420 in Barnhart and about 1600 in Etymonline.^[3][2] To cast reproach or discredit, as in reflect badly on, is from the 17th century.^[4] Reflection is from about 1380,^[3] and reflector from 1665, in Robert Boyle.^[3]

Timeline

• 1392 – to bend back.^[3]
• before 1420 – to deflect; to ponder.^[3]
• 1429 – to throw back light.^[3]
• 17th century – to bring discredit.^[4]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. Of a surface, to send back light, heat or sound.
2. To show an image of something, as a mirror or water does.
3. To show or express something: the results reflect hard work.
4. To think carefully about something.
5. (with on) To give a good or bad impression of someone.

Word family

• reflectedly
• reflectedness
• reflectibility
• reflectible
• reflectingly
• misreflect
• reflectometer
• nonreflective

Related words

• reflection
• reflex
• reflector
• flexible
• deflect
• inflect

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
4. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press