ˈri:fleks adj. & n. --adj. 1 (of an action)
independent of
the will, as an
automatic response to the stimulation of a
nerve (e.g. a sneeze). 2 (of an angle)
exceeding 180Û. 3 bent
backwards. 4 (of light) reflected. 5 (of a thought etc.) introspective; directed
back upon itself or
its own operations. 6 (of an
effect or influence)
reactive;
coming back upon its
author or
source. --n. 1 a reflex
action. 2 a
sign or
secondary manifestation (law is a reflex of
public opinion). 3 reflected
light or a reflected
image. 4 a
word formed by
development from an earlier
stage of a
language. øreflex
arc Anat. the
sequence of nerves involved in a reflex action. reflex
camera a camera
with a ground-glass focusing
screen on
which the image is formed by a
combination of
lens and mirror, enabling the
scene to be correctly composed and focused. øøreflexly adv. [L reflexus (as REFLECT)]