afspejlet

Afspejlet is a Danish term meaning the reflected image or the act of reflection, and it functions as the definite form of the verb afspejle, “to reflect” or “to mirror.” The root spejl means “mirror,” with af- as a prefix indicating a separation or reversal. In everyday language the word denotes both the literal image seen in a surface and a figurative notion of reflection or mirroring.

In optics, afspejlet refers to the image produced when light bounces off a surface such as a plane, concave, or convex mirror. For a plane mirror, the afspejlet is typically a virtual image, upright and laterally inverted, formed behind the mirror as predicted by the law of reflection where the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection. The concept extends to curved mirrors, where the nature of the afspejlet (real or virtual, enlarged or diminished) depends on the mirror’s shape and the object’s distance.

Figuratively, afspejlet is used to describe reflection on identity, society, or culture. It can denote the way an image or representation mirrors certain traits, biases, or conditions, or how media and art project or critique a subject. The term appears across disciplines such as literature, philosophy, and media studies to convey ideas of depiction, self-perception, and critical mirroring.

See also: reflection, mirror, optics, virtual image, real image.