reflect English · revision 5581

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1392|origins=la flectere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /rɪˈflekt/, /rəˈflekt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|reflecten]], [[bor|fro|reflecter]] and directly from [[la|reflectere|t=to bend back, turn away]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from [[m|la|re-|t=back]] and [[m|la|flectere|t=to bend]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) See [[flexible]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To turn or bend back: 1392 in Barnhart, the late 14th century in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ To divert or deflect is from before 1420, in Lydgate's Troy Book.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) 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'';^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) it was later used of heat and sound too.^(Etymonline) To turn one's thoughts back on something, to ponder, is from before 1420 in Barnhart and about 1600 in Etymonline.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) To cast reproach or discredit, as in ''reflect badly on'', is from the 17th century.^(Hoad 1986) ''Reflection'' is from about 1380,^(Barnhart 1988) and ''reflector'' from 1665, in Robert Boyle.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1392 – to bend back.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1420 – to deflect; to ponder.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1429 – to throw back light.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 17th century – to bring discredit.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # Of a surface, to send back [[light]], heat or sound.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To show an image of something, as a [[mirror]] or water does.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To show or express something: ''the results reflect hard work''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To think carefully about something.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(with on)'' To give a good or bad impression of someone.^(Collins 2023)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[reflectedly]]

+ * [[reflectedness]]

+ * [[reflectibility]]

+ * [[reflectible]]

+ * [[reflectingly]]

+ * [[misreflect]]

+ * [[reflectometer]]

+ * [[nonreflective]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[reflection]]

+ * [[reflex]]

+ * [[reflector]]

+ * [[flexible]]

+ * [[deflect]]

+ * [[inflect]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}