adj
Meaning 1
Bent, turned back or reflected.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
reflex
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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/ˈɹiːflɛks/
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UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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/ɹɪˈflɛks/
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CMU ARPABET: R IY1 F L EH0 K S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adj
Meaning 2
Produced automatically by a stimulus.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 3
Having greater than 180 degrees but less than 360 degrees.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: geometry, mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 4
Illuminated by light reflected from another part of the same picture.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: painting
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
An automatic response to a simple stimulus which does not require mental processing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
The descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: etymon
noun
Meaning 7
The ancestor word corresponding to a descendant.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare
Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
The descendant of anything from an earlier time, such as a cultural myth.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 9
A reflection or an image produced by a reflection; the light reflected from an illuminated surface to one in shade.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: arts, hobbies, lifestyle, photography
Examples
- A reflex camera uses a mirror to reflect the image onto a ground-glass viewfinder.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
To bend back or turn back over itself.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 11
To reflect (light, sight, etc.).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 12
To reflect or mirror (an object), to show the image of.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 13
To cast (beams of light) on something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 14
To respond to a stimulus.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 15
an automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulus
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: reflex response, reflex action, instinctive reflex, innate reflex, inborn reflex, unconditioned reflex, physiological reaction
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: reaction, response
Narrower terms: accommodation reflex, Babinski, Babinski reflex, Babinski sign, belch, belching, burp, burping, eructation, blink, eye blink, blinking, wink, winking, nictitation, nictation, blush, flush, vomit, vomiting, emesis, regurgitation, disgorgement, puking, defecation reflex, rectal reflex, yawn, yawning, oscitance, oscitancy, electric shock, electrical shock, shock, fart, farting, flatus, wind, breaking wind, gulp, gulping, knee jerk, knee-jerk reflex, patellar reflex, light reflex, pupillary reflex, miosis, myosis, mydriasis, micturition reflex, pharyngeal reflex, gag reflex, pilomotor reflex, gooseflesh, goose bump, goosebump, goose pimple, goose skin, horripilation, plantar reflex, rooting reflex, startle, jump, start, stretch reflex, myotactic reflex, suckling reflex, tremble, shiver, shake, sneeze, sneezing, sternutation, hiccup, hiccough, singultus
History
Etymology
From Late Latin reflexus, past participle of reflectere (“to bend back”), equivalent to re- + flex. Photography sense is from noun sense meaning “reflection”. Compare English reflect.
Across languages
Translations
46 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Māori: rāwaho — of an angle
- Tagalog: pabalik — of an angle
- Bulgarian: огледален (ogledalen) — of a type of camera
- Hungarian: tükörreflexes — of a type of camera
- Spanish: réflex — of a type of camera
- Arabic: مُنْعَكَس (munʕakas) — automatic response
- Bulgarian: рефле́кс (refléks) — automatic response
- Catalan: reflex — automatic response
- Chinese Mandarin: 反射 (fǎnshè) — automatic response
- Crimean Tatar: refleks — automatic response
- Czech: reflex — automatic response
- Dutch: reflex — automatic response
- Esperanto: reflekso — automatic response
- Finnish: refleksi — automatic response
- Finnish: heijaste — automatic response
- French: réflexe — automatic response
- German: Reflex — automatic response
- Greek: αντανακλαστικό (antanaklastikó) — automatic response
- Hindi: प्रतिवर्त क्रिया (prativart kriyā) — automatic response
- Italian: riflesso — automatic response
- Japanese: 反射 (hansha) — automatic response
- Kazakh: рефлекс (refleks) — automatic response
- Korean: 반사 (bansa) — automatic response
- Māori: kahuki — automatic response
- Māori: whetau — automatic response
- Polish: odruch — automatic response
- Polish: refleks — automatic response
- Polish: automat — automatic response
- Portuguese: reflexo — automatic response
- Russian: рефле́кс (refléks) — automatic response
- Slovene: refleks — automatic response
- Spanish: reflejo — automatic response
- Swedish: reflex — automatic response
- Tagalog: balikusa — automatic response
- Turkish: refleks — automatic response
- Vietnamese: phản xạ — automatic response
- Armenian: արտացոլում (artacʻolum) — the descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language
- Dutch: reflex — the descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language
- French: continuateur — the descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language
- German: Kontinuante — the descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language
- German: Fortsetzer — the descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language
- Italian: riflesso — the descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language
- Italian: continuatore — the descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language
- Polish: kontynuant — the descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language
- Spanish: reflejo — the descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language
- Spanish: continuador — the descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language
Real reading context