reflection, also (now chiefly in scientific use) reflexion /ri-flekˈshən/ noun

1. A turning, bending or folding aside, back or downwards
2. Folding upon itself
3. Rebound
4. Change of direction when an electromagnetic wave or sound wave strikes on a surface and is thrown back
5. Reflected light, colour, heat, etc
6. An image in a mirror
7. (production of) a mirror image of a line or figure (by reflecting it in an axis of symmetry)
8. The conformal transformation in which a figure is reflected in a fixed line
9. The action of the mind by which it is conscious of its own operations
10. Attentive consideration
11. Contemplation
12. A thought or utterance resulting from contemplation
13. A consideration leading to discredit, censure or reproach

reflecˈtionless adjective

reflectˈive adjective

1. Reflecting
2. Reflected
3. Contemplative

reflectˈively adverb

reflectˈiveness noun

reflectivˈity noun

1. The ability to reflect rays
2. Reflectance

reflecˈtogram or reflecˈtograph noun

An image produced by reflectography

reflectogˈraphy noun

A technique used to detect underdrawing, etc in a painting, in which infra-red light is bounced off the lowest, gessoed layer and the resulting image viewed on a TV monitor

reflectomˈeter noun

Any of various instruments for measuring the properties of reflected light, colour, etc

reflectˈor noun

1. A reflecting surface, instrument or body
2. A reflecting telescope

reflecting factor see reflectance above.

reflecting microscope noun

One using a system of mirrors instead of lenses

reflecting telescope noun

One (eg the Gregorian or Newtonian) which has a concave mirror instead of an object glass (lens or lenses)

reflective binary code see Gray code

angle of reflection

The angle between a reflected ray and the normal to the surface it falls on

reflex /rēˈfleks, formerly ri-fleksˈ/

adjective

1. Bent or turned back
2. Reflected
3. Reciprocal
4. (of an angle) more than 180º
5. Turned back upon itself
6. Involuntary, produced by or concerned with response from a nerve-centre to a stimulus from without
7. Illuminated by light from another part of the same picture (art)
8. Using the same valve or valves for high- and low-frequency amplification (radio)

noun

1. Reflection
2. Reflected light
3. A reflected image
4. An expression, manifestation, outward representation
5. A reflex action
6. (in pl) the ability to perform such actions
7. A reflex radio receiving set
8. An element of speech that has developed from a corresponding earlier form (linguistics)

transitive verb /-fleksˈ/

1. To bend back
2. To project, direct (Shakespeare)

reflexedˈ adjective (botany)

Bent abruptly backward or downward

reflexibilˈity noun

reflexˈible adjective

reflexˈion noun see reflection under reflect

reflexˈive adjective (grammar)

1. Indicating that the action turns back upon the subject
2. Relating to a reflex

noun

A reflexive pronoun or verb

reflexˈively adverb

reflexˈiveness or reflexivˈity noun

reflexˈly (or /rēˈ/) adverb

reflexologˈical adjective

reflexolˈogist noun

reflexolˈogy noun

1. The study of the body's reflexes as a guide to behaviour (psychology)
2. A form of therapy for treating particular bodily ailments and general stress, carried out through massage on the soles of the feet, on the principle that specific areas of the feet relate to specific parts and organs of the body

reflex anal dilatation noun

Involuntary widening of the anus on examination

reflex arc noun

The simplest functional unit of the nervous system, by which an impulse produces a reflex action

reflex camera noun

One in which the image is reflected onto a glass screen for composing and focusing, either through the camera lens (singˈle-lens reflex) or through a separate lens of the same focal length (twinˈ-lens reflex)

reflex light noun

A lens with a reflecting back or a prism with internal reflection, returning a beam of light when the headlight, eg of a motor car, shines on it