English → Latin
“reflection” in Latin
meditātiōThe act of thinking over something, contemplation, meditation; thought, idea.; The act of planning or devising.; Preparacommentātiōmeditation, studying; treatise, dissertationimprūdēnsignorant of; unaware; inadvertent, imprudentincōnsīderātusthoughtless, heedless, inconsiderate; reckless
The English word reflection itself goes back to Latin flectō, through reflexiō.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
reflection
PROP., colorum repercussus (of colors): radiorum duplicatio (of light; Sen., N.Q., 4, 8, extr.).
Consideration, meditatio, commentatio. (The words are found in this connection and order.) commentatio et meditatio, upon anything, alicujus rei cogitatio [SYN. in REFLECT]: the matter requires some reflection, res habet deliberationem; res cadit in deliberationem: to require much reflection, multae cogitationis esse: to be void of reflection, nulla cogitatione esse; imprudentem, inconsideratum, inconsultum, or temerarium esse; nullius consilii esse (☞ not incogitantem or incogitabilem esse): in deep reflection, defixus in cogitationibus: with reflection (considerately), cogitate, considerate (☞ but not cogitato: in Cic., Off., 1, 8, 27, modern writers read cogitato; not consulto, which even in Cic., N.D., 1, 31, in. and Off., 1, 8, 27 = purposely, designedly): without reflection, inconsiderate: temere; sine consilio: after due reflection, re diligenter perpensa or considerate; inita subductaque ratione; omnibus rebus circumspectis; re consulta et explorata.
Animadversion, Vid: REFLECTIVE (or REFLEXIVE) VERB, *verbum reflexivum.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for reflection?
- The usual Latin words for “reflection” are meditātiō, commentātiō, imprūdēns; also incōnsīderātus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.