reflexive

1 of 2

adjective

re·​flex·​ive ri-ˈflek-siv 

1

a

: directed or turned back on itself

also : overtly and usually ironically reflecting conventions of genre or form

a reflexive novel

b

: marked by or capable of reflection : reflective

2

: of, relating to, characterized by, or being a relation that exists between an entity and itself

the relation "is equal to" is reflexive but the relation "is the father of" is not

3

: of, relating to, or constituting an action (as in "he perjured himself") directed back on the agent or the grammatical subject

4

: characterized by habitual and unthinking behavior

reflexively adverb

reflexiveness noun

reflexivity

ˌrē-ˌflek-ˈsi-və-tē 

ri-

noun

reflexive

2 of 2

noun

: reflexive pronoun

Examples of reflexive in a Sentence

Adjective

In “I hurt myself,” the verb “hurt” is reflexive.

In the sentence “We forced ourselves to finish the assignment,” the word “ourselves” is a reflexive pronoun.

For many people, the reflexive response to this kind of demand is to say no.

music that triggers reflexive toe tapping

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

But reflexive belief in language as an evolutionary anomaly started to dissolve. —Sonia Shah, New York Times, 20 Sep. 2023

The buccal phase is the body’s reflexive response to the actual presence of food in the mouth (which aids in swallowing). —Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2023

Today, as then, legislators are grappling with complex new issues for which reflexive political answers of the past will not suffice. —Ron Wyden, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2023

Regardless of the overall balance sheet, the sudden surge in online fundraising was a leading indicator of the Republican electorate’s fervor for Trump and its reflexive impulse to defend him. —Jonathan Swan, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Aug. 2023

Niger's return to reflexive armed takeovers by disgruntled troops is reverberating in the U.S. and internationally for two key reasons. —Ellen Knickmeyer and Tracy Brown, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2023

Gal Gadot is game, but there’s a slightly downbeat earnestness about her that doesn’t mesh with the reflexive quippiness of the dialogue. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Aug. 2023

Regardless of the overall balance sheet, the sudden surge in online fund-raising was a leading indicator of the Republican electorate’s fervor for Mr. Trump and its reflexive impulse to defend him. —Maggie Haberman, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2023

But even their sweet, tentative romance, predicated on mutual curiosity and real attraction, can’t help but bring out Ben’s ugly side, from his reflexive self-pity to his objectifying, self-loathing assumptions about interracial coupledom. —Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2023

Noun

Andrew Bevel’s motivation for publishing a memoir goes beyond that reflexive droit du seigneur Ida describes. —Jonathan Dee, Harper's Magazine, 11 May 2022

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Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Medieval Latin reflexivus, from Latin reflexus

First Known Use

Adjective

1615, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Noun

1866, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing reflexive

• reflexive pronoun
• self-reflexive

• reflexive pronoun
• self-reflexive

Kids Definition

reflexive

1 of 2 adjective

re·​flex·​ive ri-ˈflek-siv 

1

: turned back upon itself

2

: of, relating to, or being an action directed back upon the doer or the grammatical subject

3

: of, relating to, or being a relation which exists between a thing and itself

the relation of equality or "is equal to" is reflexive but the relation "is the parent of" is not

4

: characterized by behavior that occurs automatically without thinking

a reflexive response

reflexively adverb

reflexive

2 of 2 noun

: a pronoun that refers to the grammatical subject and is the object of the verb

in the sentence "We forced ourselves to finish the assignment," the word "ourselves" is a reflexive

Medical Definition

reflexive

adjective

re·​flex·​ive ri-ˈflek-siv 

: characterized by habitual and unthinking behavior

also : relating to or consisting of a reflex