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