reflective
adj.-
1 sending back light or heat (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediatedescribing a surface that sends back light, heat, or sound.
capable of reflecting light, heat, or sound; returning energy to its source.
ExampleCyclists often wear reflective vests so that drivers can see them at night.
ExampleThe building's reflective glass facade was designed to reduce heat absorption during the peak summer months, significantly lowering cooling costs.
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2 thinking deeply (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediatethinking quietly and seriously about things that happened in the past.
characterised by or given to deep, serious, or contemplative thought.
ExampleAfter the long trip, he was in a reflective mood and thought about his future.
ExampleThe author's latest memoir is deeply reflective, offering a nuanced analysis of how her early failures shaped her eventual success.
- thoughtful
- contemplative
- pensive
- thoughtless
- unreflective
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3 showing or revealing (adj.) C1 Advanced Formalshowing or being a sign of a particular situation or feeling.
serving to reflect or indicate a specific state, quality, or condition.
ExampleThe low test scores were reflective of the fact that the students were tired.
ExampleThe sudden decline in luxury car sales is reflective of a broader cooling in the global economy and shifting consumer priorities.
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4 computing (adj.) C2 Proficiency Technical Computingdescribing a computer program that can look at and change its own code while it is running.
referring to the ability of a process to examine, introspect, and modify its own structure and behaviour at runtime.
ExampleThe software uses reflective programming to update its features without stopping.
ExampleBy employing reflective techniques, the framework can dynamically discover and instantiate classes based on configuration files provided at runtime.
From reflect + -ive.