# reflection

Pronunciation: say "ri-FLEK-shuhn" /ɹɪˈflɛkʃən/

## Noun

1. An image or likeness thrown back from a surface such as a mirror or still water.
   - Simple: An image you see thrown back from a mirror, still water, or other shiny surface.
   - _He caught his reflection in the polished blade and barely recognized himself._
   - _Reflections of the city lights shimmered across the dark harbor._
2. Careful thought or serious consideration given to a subject.
   - Simple: Careful thinking about something, often over a long time.
   - _The decision came only after weeks of reflection._
   - _Her essay offers deep reflection on the meaning of friendship._
3. The throwing back of a wave, such as light or sound, when it strikes a surface like a mirror.
   - Simple: The way light, sound, or other waves bounce back when they hit a surface.
   - _The reflection of light from the water's surface can cause harsh glare._
   - _Engineers reduced reflection by coating the lens with a thin film._
4. The bouncing back of light, sound, or other energy from a surface, or the condition of having been bounced back.
   - Simple: The action of throwing something back, or the state of being thrown back.
   - _The smooth surface allowed clear reflection of the surrounding scenery._
   - _Reflection of the laser beam was redirected by the angled mirror._
5. A sign or outcome that shows or expresses some underlying condition, trend, or quality.
   - Simple: A sign or result that shows what something or someone is really like.
   - _Rising crime rates are often a reflection of deeper social problems._
   - _His calm manner under pressure is a reflection of years of training._
6. A statement or circumstance that brings discredit or implies criticism of someone or something.
   - Simple: A fact or remark that makes someone or something look bad.
   - _The scandal was a serious reflection on the company's leadership._
   - _Your honest mistake is no reflection on your character._
7. A program's ability to examine and modify its own structure and behavior while it is running.
   - Simple: A way for a computer program to look at and change its own structure while it is running.
   - _The framework relies on reflection to discover and instantiate classes at run-time._
   - _Using reflection, the library inspects each object's methods before calling them._
8. A folding back of a part, such as a membrane, upon itself; a fold.
   - Simple: A place where a layer of body tissue folds back on itself.
   - _The peritoneal reflection marks where the lining turns back onto the bladder._
   - _Surgeons identify each reflection of the membrane before making an incision._

## Origin

From Middle French reflexion (also spelled reflection) and its source Late Latin reflexio, from the participle stem of reflectō. The modern spelling was influenced by the word reflect, making it equivalent to reflect plus -ion.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/reflection (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).