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Mirror vs Reflect - What's the difference?

mirror | reflect |

In transitive terms the difference between mirror and reflect

is that mirror is of an event, activity, behaviour, etc, to be identical to, to be a copy of while reflect is to give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.

As a noun mirror

is a smooth surface, usually made of glass with reflective material painted on the underside, that reflects light so as to give an of what is in front of it.

mirror

English

(wikipedia mirror)

Alternative forms

* mirrour (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A smooth surface, usually made of glass with reflective material painted on the underside, that reflects light so as to give an image of what is in front of it.
    • I had a look in the mirror to see if the blood had come off my face.
    We could see the lorry in the mirror , so decided to change lanes.
  • (figuratively) an object, person, or event that reflects or gives a picture of another.
    • His story is a mirror into the life of orphans growing up.
  • * Spenser
    • O goddess, heavenly bright, / Mirror of grace and majesty divine.
  • (computing) An exact copy of a data set, especially a website.
    • Although the content had been deleted from his blog, it was still found on some mirrors .
  • A mirror carp.

    • Synonyms

    * (reflecting surface) glass (old-fashioned), looking glass (old-fashioned)

    Derived terms

    * do with mirrors * half-silvered mirror * magic mirror * mirror image * one-way mirror * rear-view mirror * two-way mirror

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • Of an event, activity, behaviour, etc, to be identical to, to be a copy of.
    • He tried to mirror Elvis's life. He copied his fashion and his mannerisms, and even went to live in (Graceland).
  • (computing) To create something identical to (a web site, etc.).
  • To reflect.

    • See also

    * cheval glass * looking glass

    reflect

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • A mirror reflects the light that shines on it.
  • To be bent back (light, etc.) from a surface.
    • The moonlight reflected from the surface of water.
  • To mirror, or show the image of something.
    • The shop window reflected his image as he walked past.
  • To be mirrored.
    • His image reflected from the shop window as he walked past.
  • To agree with; to closely follow.
    • Entries in English dictionaries aim to reflect common usage.
  • To give evidence of someone's or something's character etc.
    • The team's victory reflects the Captain's abilities.
    The teacher's ability reflects well on the school.
  • *
    • With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get
  • (senseid) To think seriously; to ponder or consider.
    • People do that sort of thing every day, without ever stopping to reflect on the consequences.
  • * 1985 , , Option Lock , page 229:
    • Not for the first time, he reflected that it was not so much the speeches that strained the nerves as the palaver that went with them.

    Synonyms

    * See also
    Derived terms
    * reflective * reflexion * unreflective * nonreflective * reflectorize