reflective

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɹɪˈflɛktɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #25663

Meanings

1

adj
Thinking carefully and quietly, often about the past.

After the long trip, she was in a reflective mood and barely spoke.
2

adj
Able to send back light, heat, or sound.

Cyclists wear reflective jackets so drivers can see them at night.
3

adj
Showing or revealing something about a situation.

The survey results are reflective of how tired most workers feel.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · thinking carefully and... contemplative meditative musing pensive pondering thoughtful

Word family

Forms reflectively

Derived forms antireflectivecoreflectiveechoreflectivehyperreflectivehyporeflectiveirreflectivemetareflectivenonreflectiveoverreflectiveprereflectivereflectivelyreflectiveness

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

reflective surface
an outer layer that sends back light or sound

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From reflect + -ive.

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# reflective

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ɹɪˈflɛktɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 25663

## Meanings
1. Thinking carefully and quietly, often about the past.
2. Able to send back light, heat, or sound.
3. Showing or revealing something about a situation.

## Examples
- After the long trip, she was in a reflective mood and barely spoke.
- Cyclists wear reflective jackets so drivers can see them at night.
- The survey results are reflective of how tired most workers feel.

## Derived Forms
- antireflective
- coreflective
- echoreflective
- hyperreflective
- hyporeflective
- irreflective
- metareflective
- nonreflective
- overreflective
- prereflective
- reflectively
- reflectiveness

## Etymology
From reflect + -ive.

## AI Etymology
Reflective comes from reflect + -ive. Modern senses include thinking carefully and quietly, often about the past. and able to send back light, heat, or sound.. The wider word family includes derivatives such as antireflective, coreflective, echoreflective, hyperreflective, hyporeflective, and irreflective.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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