reflect

The word “reflect” means to bounce light, sound, or an image back off a surface. In plain terms, to bounce back (light, image), to think hard about something, or to show evidence of something.

“Reflect” is pronounced rih-FLEHKT (/ɹɪˈflɛkt/ in IPA).

Here is “reflect” used in a sentence: “The lake reflected the mountains perfectly at dawn.”

“Reflect” is a verb.

The word “reflect” comes from Latin. From Latin reflectere ("to bend back"), from re- ("back") plus flectere ("to bend").

“Reflect” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Reflect” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to bounce light, sound, or an image back off a surface.

To reflect is to bounce light, sound, or an image back off a surface, the way a mirror sends light back toward you. To refract is to bend light as it passes through a substance, the way a straw looks bent in a glass of water. Reflection bounces back; refraction bends through.

Both are correct and mean the same thing: to think carefully about something. "Reflect on" is the more common choice in everyday writing and speech, while "reflect upon" sounds slightly more formal or literary. Choose whichever fits the tone of your sentence.

To reflect is to bounce something, such as light or sound, back off a surface. To deflect is to turn something aside from its original path, so it continues in a new direction rather than returning. Figuratively, people reflect on questions but deflect them when they avoid answering.