reflexive

C2+ Topic:Grammar & Function Words

US /rɪˈflɛksɪv/ UK /rɪˈflɛksɪv/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
performed automatically; in grammar, referring back to the subject

Ducking was a reflexive response to the sudden noise.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · performed automatically; in... automatic instinctive involuntary spontaneous unthinking

Opposites

deliberate considered voluntary

Word family

Forms reflexiveness

Derived forms reflexivelyreflexivenessreflexivity

Related forms reflex reflect reflection flexible

Etymology

From Latin reflexus ('a bending back'), past participle of reflectere ('to bend back'), from re- ('back') + flectere ('to bend'), + -ive.

re- Latin reflectere Latin flectere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Grammar & Function Words Word Formation & Derivatives

# reflexive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** rɪˈflɛksɪv
**IPA (UK):** rɪˈflɛksɪv

## Meanings
1. performed automatically; in grammar, referring back to the subject

## Examples
- Ducking was a reflexive response to the sudden noise.

## Synonyms
- automatic
- instinctive
- involuntary
- spontaneous
- unthinking

## Antonyms
- deliberate
- considered
- voluntary

## Derived Forms
- reflexively
- reflexiveness
- reflexivity

## Related Forms
- reflex
- reflect
- reflection
- flexible

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: re-
- Root: reflectere
- Root: flectere

## Etymology
From Latin reflexus ('a bending back'), past participle of reflectere ('to bend back'), from re- ('back') + flectere ('to bend'), + -ive.

## AI Etymology
Reflexive comes from Latin reflexus ('a bending back'), past participle of reflectere ('to bend back'), from re- ('back') + flectere ('to bend'), + -ive. The historical chain includes Latin re-, Latin reflectere, and Latin flectere. Older glosses in the chain include "a bending back", "to bend back", "back", and "to bend", which help explain the semantic range of the modern word. Morphologically, reflexive is best read as compound, suffixal formation, and borrowing, yielding an English adjective shaped by both form history and later usage. In current English it functions as an adjective, with the sense "performed automatically; in grammar, referring back to the subject". English derivatives include reflexively, reflexiveness, and reflexivity; related forms include reflex, reflect, reflection, and flexible. The result is an English adjective whose etymology preserves the older forms while supporting the word's specialized modern meaning.

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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