# reflection

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɹɪˈflɛkʃən/ · frequency rank #5,447

## Definitions
1. The act of reflecting or the state of being reflected.
2. The property of a propagated wave being thrown back from a surface (such as a mirror).
3. Something, such as an image, that is reflected.
4. Careful thought or consideration.
5. A representative manifestation or outcome of a condition, trend or trait.
6. A representative manifestation or outcome of a condition, trend or trait.
7. The process or mechanism of determining the capabilities of an object at run-time.
8. The folding of a part; a fold.

## Etymology
From Middle French reflexion, reflection, and its source Late Latin reflexio, from the participle stem of reflectō. The current spelling is influenced by reflect. Equivalent to reflect + -ion.

## Easily confused with
- **rejection** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reflection-vs-rejection)
- **reflector** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reflection-vs-reflector)
- **resection** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reflection-vs-resection)
- **reflective** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reflection-vs-reflective)
- **refraction** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reflection-vs-refraction)
- **reflections** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reflection-vs-reflections)
- **reflecting** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reflecting-vs-reflection)
- **reelection** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reelection-vs-reflection)

## Common misspellings (16)
`erflection`, `refelction`, `refflection`, `reflcetion`, `reflecction`, `refleciton`, `reflecsion`, `reflectino`, `reflectionn`, `reflectoin`, `reflecttion`, `refletcion`, `refllection`, `relfection`, `rfelection`, `rreflection`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/reflection