reflector
UK[rɪˈflɛktə]US[rɪˈflɛktə]
n
a surface or object that reflects light, sound, or other waves.
n
a device, such as a piece of glass or metal, on a vehicle or bicycle, that reflects light to make the vehicle more visible.
Morpheme Breakdown
re
flect
or
re
again/back
flect
bend
or
agent/thing
Etymology
The word 'reflector' is built upon the Latin verb reflectere, meaning "to bend back". This verb itself is a compound of the prefix re- ("back") and the root flectere ("to bend"). The core concept of bending something back is central to the physical phenomenon of reflection, where light, sound, or other waves are turned back upon striking a surface. The agent suffix -or was appended to form a noun denoting an object that performs this action of bending back waves. Thus, the literal "thing that bends back" evolved into the modern term for a device designed to return light or sound.
Analysis
Structure: re (again/back) + flect (bend) + or (agent/thing)
- re: a prefix of Latin origin meaning "again" or "back".
- flect: a root from the Latin verb flectere, meaning "to bend".
- or: a suffix of Latin origin used to form agent nouns, indicating a person or thing that performs an action.
Examples
The bicycle's reflector glowed brightly in the car's headlights.
A parabolic reflector is used to focus radio waves onto the antenna.
She checked her rear-view mirror and the side reflector before changing lanes.