Link Centre Dictionary

reflection

ref·lec·tion

UK/ɹɪˈflɛkʃən/ US/rɪˈflɛkʃʌn/ fairly common

noun

1.
2.

the phenomenon of a propagating wave (light or sound) being thrown back from a surface

Synonyms
3.

expression without words

  • “tears are an expression of grief”
  • “the pulse is a reflection of the heart”
Synonyms
4.

the image of something as reflected by a mirror (or other reflective material)

  • “he studied his reflection in the mirror”
Synonyms
5.

a likeness in which left and right are reversed

Synonyms
6.

(mathematics) a transformation in which the direction of one axis is reversed

7.
8.

the ability to reflect beams or rays

Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English refleccion, refleccioun, refleccioune, reflection, from Middle French reflection, reflexion, and its source Late Latin reflexiō, from the participle stem of reflectō. The current spelling is influenced by reflect. Equivalent to reflect + -ion.

Phrases

  • angle of reflection
  • complete internal reflection
  • Fresnel reflection
  • glide reflection
  • oblique reflection
  • on reflection
  • Phong reflection
  • reflection mapping

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.