adj
Meaning 1
That reflects, or redirects back to the source.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- Mirrors are reflective.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
reflective
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/ɹɪˈflɛktɪv/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -ɛktɪv
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CMU ARPABET: R IH0 F L EH1 K T IH0 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adj
Meaning 2
Pondering, especially thinking back on the past.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- He always becomes reflective in preparation for the new year.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 3
That reveals or shows; revealing; indicative of.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 4
Involving reflection.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 5
By means of reflection.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 6
Reciprocal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
A supposed organ of the brain, dealing with abstract reasoning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: human-sciences, medicine, phrenology, psychology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective
Meaning 8
capable of physically reflecting light or sound
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- a reflective surface
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: nonreflective
adjective satellite
Meaning 9
devoted to matters of the mind
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the reflective type
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 10
deeply or seriously thoughtful;
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- Byron lives on not only in his poetry, but also in his creation of the 'Byronic hero' - the persona of a brooding melancholy young man
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: brooding, broody, contemplative, meditative, musing, pensive, pondering, ruminative
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English reflect Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf English -ive English reflective From reflect + -ive.
Across languages
Translations
30 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Belarusian: адбіва́льны (adbiválʹny) — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Bulgarian: отразяващ (otrazjavašt) — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Catalan: reflector — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Catalan: reflectant — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Finnish: heijastava — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Galician: reflector — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Georgian: არეკვლადი (areḳvladi) — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Georgian: ამრეკლავი (amreḳlavi) — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Hindi: परावर्ती (parāvartī) — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Indonesian: reflektif — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Irish: frithchaiteach — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Portuguese: reflexivo — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Romanian: reflectiv — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Russian: отража́тельный (otražátelʹnyj) — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Spanish: reflexivo — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Spanish: reflectante — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Swedish: speglande — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Turkish: yansıtıcı — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Ukrainian: відбивни́й (vidbyvnýj) — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Welsh: adlewyrchol — That reflects, or redirects back to the source
- Bulgarian: замислен (zamislen) — Pondering, especially thinking back on the past
- Esperanto: pripensa — Pondering, especially thinking back on the past
- Esperanto: pripensema — Pondering, especially thinking back on the past
- Finnish: mietteliäs — Pondering, especially thinking back on the past
- French: réflectif — Pondering, especially thinking back on the past
- Greek: αναστοχαστικός (anastochastikós) — Pondering, especially thinking back on the past
- Indonesian: reflektif — Pondering, especially thinking back on the past
- Irish: cuimhneach — Pondering, especially thinking back on the past
- Italian: riflessivo — Pondering, especially thinking back on the past
- Spanish: reflexivo — Pondering, especially thinking back on the past
Real reading context