reflexion

See also: Reflexion, réflexion, and reflexión

English

Etymology

From Middle English reflexion, reflexioun, from Middle French reflexion and its etymon Late Latin reflexiō; the variant spelling reflection is due to influence from correction.

Pronunciation

(UK) IPA^(key): /ɹɪˈflɛkʃ(ə)n/
Audio (US): (file)
Hyphenation: ref‧lex‧ion
Rhymes: -ɛkʃən

Noun

reflexion (countable and uncountable, plural reflexions)

(chiefly UK) Dated spelling of reflection.
- 1684, John Goodman, A Winter-Evening Conference between neighbours:
  Now, I say, why Time should be so burthensome to such as these, or what should betray them to such infrugal Expences of it, I can give no account without making severe Reflexions on their Discretion.
- 1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, [Paris]: Olympia Press, →OCLC:
  He gets off the train, determined not to leave town after all. But a little further reflexion shows him the folly of such a course.
- 1973, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London; Series A: Mathematical and Physical Sciences, volume 334, London: Royal Society of London, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 161:
  Reflexion near 48 μm was provided by strong reststrahl reflexion from ZnSe used in the multilayer construction.
- 2005 February, Markus Stücker et al., “Changes in venous refilling time from childhood to adulthood in subjects with apparently normal veins”, in Journal of Vascular Surgery‎^[1], volume 41, number 2, New York, N.Y.: Elsevier, →DOI, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2 March 2013, page 298, column 1:
  Fig 1. Assessment of venous refilling time (T₀)(analog recording by light reflexion rheograph).
- [2005 April 11, Philip Howard, “Modern Manners”, in The Times‎^[2], London: News UK, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 April 2026:
  “Connexion” is the etymological (ie, “correct”) spelling. That is to say, our word is derived from an actual Latin noun, cf. deflexion, inflexion, and reflexion. […] And it might make life easier to abolish the letter “x”. But why should we cut off the fascinating roots of our words? I should carry on preferring “connexion”.]
(grammar, linguistics) An act or instance of referring back to the subject of a sentence, or of having an object equal to the subject.

Usage notes

The spelling reflexion fell out of common use in the United States after the 18th century. In the United Kingdom, it remained standard into the early twentieth century but declined thereafter, with reflection becoming the dominant form.

Derived terms

reflexional

Swedish

Noun

reflexion c

dated spelling of reflektion (“reflection”)

Declension

Declension of **reflexion**
		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	reflexion	reflexions
singular	definite	reflexionen	reflexionens
plural	indefinite	reflexioner	reflexioners
plural	definite	reflexionerna	reflexionernas

References

“reflexion”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
“reflexion”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
“reflexion”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)