reflektere

Reflektere is a verb in Norwegian (and Danish) meaning to reflect. It has two main senses: the physical process in which light, sound, or other waves bounce off a surface; and the cognitive process of thinking back on something, examining it, or considering it carefully.

In physics, reflektere describes how light rays are reflected by surfaces, typically following the law of reflection (the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection). In everyday language, people reflekterer over decisions, experiences, or problems, often to learn from them or plan future actions. The related noun form is refleksjon, and the expression selvrefleksjon means self-reflection.

Conjugation: In Bokmål Norwegian, the verb is reflektere; present tense reflekterer; past tense reflekterte; present perfect har reflektert. The present participle is reflekterende.

Etymology: The verb derives from Latin reflectere, meaning to bend back, with the sense extended to mirror or consider; it reached Norwegian via Germanic and Romance language routes, yielding cognate forms in related Scandinavian languages. It is cognate with the English verb reflect.