REFLEX
automatic, reflex, reflexive
(adjective) without volition or conscious control; “the automatic shrinking of the pupils of the eye in strong light”; “a reflex knee jerk”; “sneezing is reflexive”
reflex, reflex response, reflex action, instinctive reflex, innate reflex, inborn reflex, unconditioned reflex, physiological reaction
(noun) an automatic instinctive unlearned reaction to a stimulus
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
reflex (plural reflexes)
An automatic response to a simple stimulus which does not require mental processing.
(linguistics) The descendant of an earlier language element, such as a word or phoneme, in a daughter language.
The descendant of anything from an earlier time, such as a cultural myth.
(mostly, photography) Reflection or an image produced by reflection. The light reflected from an illuminated surface to one in shade.
Adjective
reflex (comparative more reflex, superlative most reflex)
Bent, turned back or reflected.
Produced automatically by a stimulus.
(geometry, of an angle) Having greater than 180 degrees but less than 360 degrees.
(painting) Illuminated by light reflected from another part of the same picture.
Synonyms
• (of an angle): re-entrant
Verb
reflex (third-person singular simple present reflexes, present participle reflexing, simple past and past participle reflexed)
(transitive) To bend, turn back or reflect.
To respond to a stimulus.
Anagrams
• Flexer
Source: Wiktionary
Re"flex (r"flks), a. Etym: [L. reflexus, p. p. of reflectere: cf. F.
réflexe. See Reflect.]
1. Directed back; attended by reflection; retroactive; introspective.
The reflex act of the soul, or the turning of the intellectual eye
inward upon its own actions. Sir M. Hale.
2. Produced in reaction, in resistance, or in return.
3. (Physiol.)
Definition: Of, pertaining to, or produced by, stimulus or excitation
without the necessary intervention of consciousness. Reflex action
(Physiol.), any action performed involuntarily in consequence of an
impulse or impression transmitted along afferent nerves to a nerve
center, from which it is reflected to an efferent nerve, and so calls
into action certain muscles, organs, or cells.
– Reflex nerve (Physiol.), an excito-motory nerve. See Exito-
motory.
Re"flex (r"flks; formerly r*flks"), n. Etym: [L. reflexus a bending
back. See Reflect.]
1. Reflection; the light reflected from an illuminated surface to one
in shade.
Yon gray is not the morning's eye, 'Tis but the pale reflex of
Cynthia's brow. Shak.
On the depths of death there swims The reflex of a human face.
Tennyson.
2. (Physiol.)
Definition: An involuntary movement produced by reflex action. Patellar
reflex. See Knee jerk, under Knee.
Re*flex" (r*flks"), v. t. Etym: [L. reflexus, p. p. of reflectere.
See Reflect.]
1. To reflect. [Obs.] Shak.
2. To bend back; to turn back. J. Gregory.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition