Etymologically
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reflecto

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [rɛˈfɫɛk.toː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [reˈflɛk.to][1]

Forms

reflectō (present infinitive reflectere, perfect active reflexī, supine reflexum); third conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from re- “back” and flectō “to bend”.[2][1][3] Its first syllable is usually short, often at the end of a hexameter.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Terence, of turning someone back from a course.[2] Köbler dates Terence 190–159 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to bend back, as Lucretius, of parts of the body, as Cicero, and Pliny's dogs that bend their tails under them.[2][5] It meant to turn round, as in Virgil, and pedēs reflectere to retrace one's steps, as in Catullus, and in Ovid to turn away the gaze.[2] From Terence it meant to turn a person or his mind back from a course, and to reverse a sequence.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to turn back, divert, reflect.[6] English reflect came in the late 14th century through Old French, first meaning to turn or bend back, and English reflex from Late Latin reflexus about 1500.[7]

Timeline

  • 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of turning back.[2][4]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of bending back.[2][4]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of turning round.[2][4]
  • late 14th century – English reflect is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To bend back.[2]
  2. To turn round; to retrace one's steps; to turn away.[2]
  3. To turn back, divert; to reverse.[2]
  4. (Ecclesiastical Latin) To reflect.[6]

Word family

  • reflexim
  • reflexiō
  • reflexus

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com