reflectivity
noun
: the reflective quality or power of a surface or material
… conducting "reflectivity tests" to see whether Saudi sand when viewed through the goggles creates a sparkling effect that disorients pilots and causes them to send their helicopters careening to the ground.—
Newsweek
Newsweek… there are many examples of luster-decorated ceramics, in which Islamic potters emulated the reflectivity of metalwork by applying metal oxides to white-glazed vessels …—Roberta Smith
Roberta SmithThe warming at the surface could be expected to melt snow and ice, reducing the earth's albedo, or reflectivity.—Roger Revelle
Roger RevelleExamples of reflectivity in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Based on the size and reflectivity of Earth, a coronagraph would need to achieve brightness contrasts of between 10-10 and 10-12 (between 1 part in 10 billion and 1 part in a trillion) to image an Earth-sized world at Earth-like distances around a Sun-like star.
—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 5 Aug. 2025
Choosing the right mix of cooling solutions Many cities around the world have taken steps to adapt to extreme heat, with tree planting and cool roof programs that implement reflectivity requirements or incentivize cool roof adoption.
—Ian Smith, The Conversation, 23 July 2025
The reason for this lower reflectivity is that much of the light reaching the RLCD screen is reflected off the liquid crystal substrate layer.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
The material’s natural reflectivity and luster also enabled the Mexica people to turn obsidian into highly polished ornaments and religious objects.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
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Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 5 Aug. 2025
Choosing the right mix of cooling solutions Many cities around the world have taken steps to adapt to extreme heat, with tree planting and cool roof programs that implement reflectivity requirements or incentivize cool roof adoption.
—Ian Smith, The Conversation, 23 July 2025
The reason for this lower reflectivity is that much of the light reaching the RLCD screen is reflected off the liquid crystal substrate layer.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
The material’s natural reflectivity and luster also enabled the Mexica people to turn obsidian into highly polished ornaments and religious objects.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for reflectivity
Cite this Entry
“Reflectivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reflectivity. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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