- reflection
- late 14c., in reference to surfaces, from L.L. reflexionem (nom. reflexio) "a reflection," lit. "a bending back," from L. reflex-, pp. stem of reflectere, from re- "back" + flectere "to bend." Meaning "remark made after turning back one's thought on some subject" is from 1650s. The verb reflect is recorded from early 15c., originally "to turn aside;" meaning "to turn back" an image or light rays is from 1520s; sense of "to turn one's thoughts (back) to" is first attested c.1600.