Defleksjon

Defleksjon is a Norwegian term describing a change of direction, angle, or form caused by interaction with a boundary, field, or resisting medium. It is used in several disciplines and often corresponds to the English term deflection or deflexion. The exact meaning depends on the field, but the core idea is deviation from an original trajectory or configuration.

In physics and engineering, defleksjon refers to the deviation of a moving object, particle, or wave from its original path. Forces such as magnetic or electric fields, gravity, or mechanical constraints cause deflection. Examples include charged particles deflected by magnetic fields, light deflected by gravitational fields (gravitational deflection), and beams bending when subjected to loads in structural components.

In linguistics and philology, defleksjon denotes the historical or typological process of reducing or removing inflectional endings, or altering inflectional systems, resulting in more analytic word forms. The term is less standardized here; some analysts use deflection, deflexion, or related terms to describe similar processes in different languages or periods.

Regional usage varies, and some sources prefer more common terms such as deflection. The concept is broadly historical and cross-disciplinary: it centers on a measurable change in direction, position, or form due to interaction with a force, boundary, or system.

Etymology: From Latin deflexus, through French déflexion; in Norwegian spelling defleksjon.