réfléchi

Réfléchi is a French term that functions as both an adjective and the past participle of the verb réfléchir (to reflect or to think). In its adjectival use, it describes someone or something that has been the object of careful consideration or that demonstrates thoughtful processing. Examples include un esprit réfléchi (a thoughtful mind), une analyse réfléchie (a well-thought-out analysis), or une décision réfléchie (a carefully considered decision). In this sense, it is often contrasted with impulsive or instinctive behavior.

As a participle, réflex is the form used in compound tenses: j’ai réfléchi, tu as réfléchi, il a réfléchi, etc. When used as an adjective, its spelling agrees with the gender and number of the noun it modifies: réfléchi (masculine singular), réfléchis (masculine plural), réfléchie (feminine singular), réfléchies (feminine plural).

The word also appears in a physical sense related to optics: lumière réfléchie refers to light that has been reflected by a surface. In this usage, réfléchi conveys the idea of something being turned back toward the source or observer, rather than a cognitive process.

Etymology traces réfléchi to the verb réfléchir, which in turn comes from Latin reflectere, meaning to bend back or turn back. In contemporary French, réfléchi remains common in both everyday and formal registers, preserving both its mental and optical senses.