rə̇ˈflektə(r), rēˈf- noun
( -s )
Etymology: reflect (I) + -or
1. obsolete
a. : one that meditates or considers
b. : one that casts reflections : critic
2. : a polished body or surface for reflecting light or other radiation: as
a. : a device used to modify the distribution of light from an illuminant, to shade the source, to direct the beams, and to produce artistic effect
b. : a highly polished curved usually parabolic metal piece for reflecting the light forward in a head lamp
c. : a bowl-shaped device commonly of polished metal placed behind lamps to increase the amount of light reaching a scene to be photographed
d. : a panel (as of wallboard covered with metallic foil) used to reflect light onto the subject (as in portraiture or motion pictures)
e. : a utensil designed to reflect heat from an open fire and used in baking
f. : a device for reflecting sound toward an audience
3. : a portion of an antenna array that serves to reverse the direction of part of the radio waves sent out from the radiating portion and is often used to improve the directional quality of the antenna
4. : a telescope in which the principal focusing element is a mirror usually of spherical or paraboloidal shape
5. : a part of a nuclear reactor that reflects neutrons back toward the reactor core