reflect

/ɹɪˈflɛkt/

//ɹɪˈflɛkt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"reflect" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“reflect” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,717 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#3,717
frequency rank, English
7
letters
11
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

reflect vs reject
71% similar
reflect vs reflex
71% similar
reflect vs respect
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for reflect
PropertyValue
Headwordreflect
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈflɛkt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#3,717
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “reflect” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). reflect lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for reflect is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈflɛkt/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,717 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 7 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for reflect, with forms such as "erflect", "refelct", and "refflect". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "reject", "reflex", "respect", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Old French reflecter (“to bend back, turn back”), from Latin reflectō (“to reflect”), from re- (“again”) + flectō (“to bend, to curve”). Compare English reflex. The correct English form is reflect, spelled R-E-F-L-E-C-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.
  2. 2
    To be bent back (light, etc.) from a surface.
  3. 3
    To mirror, or show the image of something.
  4. 4
    To be mirrored.
  5. 5
    To agree with; to closely follow.
  6. 6
    To give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.
  7. 7
    To think seriously; to ponder or consider.

Etymology

From Old French reflecter (“to bend back, turn back”), from Latin reflectō (“to reflect”), from re- (“again”) + flectō (“to bend, to curve”). Compare English reflex.

This word in other languages

reflejar(Español)refléter(Français)reflektieren(Deutsch)refletir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: erflect,refelct,refflect,reflcet,reflecct,reflectt,refletc,refllect,relfect,rfelect,rreflect

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of reflect - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

erflect2refelct2refflect1reflcet2reflecct1reflectt1refletc2refllect1
Edit distance from "reflect"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "reflect"?
"reflect" is spelled R-E-F-L-E-C-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈflɛkt/.
What does "reflect" mean?
As a verb, "reflect" means: To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.
What words are commonly confused with "reflect"?
"reflect" is commonly confused with "reject", "reflex", "respect". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "reflect"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "reflect" is /ɹɪˈflɛkt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "reflect"?
From Old French reflecter (“to bend back, turn back”), from Latin reflectō (“to reflect”), from re- (“again”) + flectō (“to bend, to curve”). Compare English reflex. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “reflect”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-F-L-E-C-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɪˈflɛkt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “reject” - see the side-by-side comparison. reflect vs reject
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list