reflex

/ˈɹiːflɛks/

//ˈɹiːflɛks// noun

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

"reflex" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“reflex” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #16,321 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#16,321
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An automatic response to a simple stimulus which does not require mental processing.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

reflex vs relax
67% similar
reflex vs rifle
67% similar
reflex vs Rolex
50% similar

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

Key facts for reflex
PropertyValue
Headwordreflex
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈɹiːflɛks/
Letters6
Frequency rank#16,321
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “reflex” 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). reflex 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 reflex is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈɹiːflɛks/. Corpus data places it at rank #16,321 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for reflex, with forms such as "erflex", "refelx", and "refflex". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "relax", "rifle", "Rolex", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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. The correct English form is reflex, spelled R-E-F-L-E-X.

Definition

  1. 1
    An automatic response to a simple stimulus which does not require mental processing.
  2. 2
    The descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language.
  3. 3
    The ancestor word corresponding to a descendant.
  4. 4
    The descendant of anything from an earlier time, such as a cultural myth.
  5. 5
    A reflection or an image produced by a reflection; the light reflected from an illuminated surface to one in shade.

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.

This word in other languages

reflejo(Español)réflexe(Français)Reflex(Deutsch)reflexo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: erflex,refelx,refflex,reflexx,refllex,reflxe,relfex,rfelex,rreflex

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of reflex - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

erflex2refelx2refflex1reflexx1refllex1reflxe2relfex2rfelex2
Edit distance from "reflex"

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 "reflex"?
"reflex" is spelled R-E-F-L-E-X. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈɹiːflɛks/.
What does "reflex" mean?
As a noun, "reflex" means: An automatic response to a simple stimulus which does not require mental processing.
What words are commonly confused with "reflex"?
"reflex" is commonly confused with "relax", "rifle", "Rolex". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "reflex"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "reflex" is /ˈɹiːflɛks/. 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 "reflex"?
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. 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 “reflex”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-F-L-E-X - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈɹiːflɛks/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “relax” - see the side-by-side comparison. reflex vs relax
  • 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