Etymologically
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reflect

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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
  • 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