Definition of reflexive
1a : directed or turned back on itself; also : overtly and usually ironically reflecting conventions of genre or form a reflexive novelb : 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
adverbreflexiveness
nounExplore Merriam-Webster
Examples of reflexive in a Sentence
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
Origin and Etymology of reflexive
Medieval Latin reflexivus, from Latin reflexus
First Known Use: 1615
1866
First Known Use of reflexive
1866
Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms
REFLEXIVE Defined for English Language Learners
reflexive
playDefinition of reflexive for English Language Learners
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grammar : showing that the action in a sentence or clause happens to the person or thing that does the action
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: happening or done without thinking as a reaction to something
Medical Dictionary
Learn More about reflexive
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Spanish Central: Translation of reflexive Nglish: Translation of reflexive for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of reflexive for Arabic speakers
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