Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - reflection

 noun  Etymology: Middle English, alteration of reflexion, from Late Latin reflexion-, reflexio act of bending back, from Latin reflectere  Date: 14th century  1. an instance of reflecting; especially the return of light or sound waves from a surface  2. the production of an image by or as if by a mirror  3.  a. the action of bending or folding back  b. a reflected part ; fold  4. something produced by reflecting: as  a. an image given back by a reflecting surface  b. an effect produced by an influence the high crime rate is a ~ of our violent society  5. an often obscure or indirect criticism ; reproach a ~ on his character  6. a thought, idea, or opinion formed or a remark made as a result of meditation  7. consideration of some subject matter, idea, or purpose  8. obsolete turning back ; return  9.  a. a transformation of a figure in which each point is replaced by a point symmetric with respect to a line or plane  b. a transformation that involves ~ in more than one axis of a rectangular coordinate system  • ~al adjective