mirrored

Mirrored is an adjective describing something that has been reflected to resemble a mirror image. It can refer to a reflective surface, a geometric reflection, or figurative duplication of another object or action. The term conveys the idea of symmetry and reversal, often implying correspondence with a counterpart on the opposite side of a line or plane.

In optics, a mirrored surface returns light as a near-perfect reflection, creating a virtual image. In geometry, a mirrored image is obtained by reflecting a figure across a line in two dimensions or across a plane in three dimensions. The reflection preserves distances but reverses orientation; lines of symmetry are the lines or planes that map the figure onto itself.

In computing and information technology, mirroring denotes duplicating data to provide redundancy and fault tolerance. Disk mirroring (often RAID 1) stores identical copies on two or more drives. Database mirroring and file system mirroring perform similar redundancy to enable failover and data recovery, enhancing reliability and availability.

In design and art, mirrored patterns create symmetry and balance. In language and culture, to mirror can mean to imitate or reflect another’s behavior or style. In security and printing, text or graphics may be mirrored for watermarking, anti-counterfeiting, or artistic effect.

The concept of mirroring underpins many fields, including mathematics, imaging technologies, architecture, and data management, offering a framework for understanding reflections, symmetry, and dependable duplication.