mirror
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mir·ror
(mĭr′ər)n.
1. A surface capable of reflecting sufficient undiffused light to form an image of an object placed in front of it. Also called looking glass.
2. Something that faithfully reflects or gives a true picture of something else.
3. Something worthy of imitation.
tr.v. mir·rored, mir·ror·ing, mir·rors
To reflect in or as if in a mirror: "The city mirrors many of the greatest moments of Western culture" (Olivier Bernier).
[Middle English mirour, from Old French mireor, from mirer, to look at, from Latin mīrārī, to wonder at, from mīrus, wonderful; see smei- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
mirror
(ˈmɪrə)n
1. a surface, such as polished metal or glass coated with a metal film, that reflects light without diffusion and produces an image of an object placed in front of it
2. (Furniture) such a reflecting surface mounted in a frame
3. any reflecting surface
4. a thing that reflects or depicts something else: the press is a mirror of public opinion.
vb
(tr) to reflect, represent, or depict faithfully: he mirrors his teacher's ideals.
[C13: from Old French from mirer to look at, from Latin mīrārī to wonder at]
ˈmirror-ˌlike adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
mir•ror
(ˈmɪr ər)n.
1. a reflecting surface, usu. of glass with a silvery, metallic, or amalgam backing.
2. any reflecting surface, as of calm water under certain lighting conditions.
3. something that gives a faithful representation, image, or idea of something else: Gershwin's music was a mirror of its time.
4. a pattern for imitation; exemplar: a man who was the mirror of fashion.
v.t. 5. to reflect in or as if in a mirror.
6. to imitate.
[1175–1225; Middle English mirour < Old French mireo(u)r=mir- (see mirage) + -eo(u)r < Latin -ātor -ator]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
mir·ror
(mĭr′ər) A surface that is able to reflect light, often used to form an image of an object placed in front of it.
Did You Know? The earliest mirrors, some dating to over 3,000 years ago, were highly polished pieces of bronze or another metal. Later on, in the Middle Ages, the technique of covering one side of a piece of glass with a sheet of reflective metal came into being. Nowadays, mirrors are usually coated with an extremely thin layer of silver or aluminum. While you may use mirrors just to look at yourself in the bathroom each morning, in science they have many important uses. Mirrors are used in microscopes, telescopes, and lasers, as well as in devices that collect light for solar power and the devices that make holograms. For instance, a common type of telescope called a reflecting telescope has a concave mirror (curved inward) at one end. This mirror, unlike your bathroom mirror, is coated on the front side with the reflecting layer; if light were allowed to pass through the glass first, it could get distorted and interfere with accurate observation. Light waves hitting the curved surface are reflected so that they all come together at a single point—the focus. The larger the mirror, the more powerful the telescope; the very largest ones are over 30 feet (9 meters) wide.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
mirror
- cheval glass - A tall mirror swung on an upright frame that takes its name from French cheval, "horse"—a synonym for "supporting framework," which describes this mirror.
- catoptric - Means pertaining to a mirror, reflection, or reflector.
- mirage - From French se mirer, "be reflected," from Latin mirare, "look at"—the same root used in mirror.
- heliography - Using a mirror to send a signal.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
mirror
Past participle: mirrored
Gerund: mirroring
| Imperative |
|---|
| mirror |
| mirror |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  mirror - polished surface that forms images by reflecting lightcar mirror - a mirror that the driver of a car can use cheval glass - a full length mirror mounted in a frame in which it can be tilted hand glass, hand mirror - a mirror intended to be held in the hand looking glass, glass - a mirror; usually a ladies' dressing mirror pier glass, pier mirror - a large mirror between two windows reflector - device that reflects radiation speculum - a mirror (especially one made of polished metal) for use in an optical instrument |
| 2. |  mirror - a faithful depiction or reflection; "the best mirror is an old friend" | |
| Verb | 1. |  mirror - reflect as if in a mirror; "The smallest pond at night mirrors the firmament above"reflect, reverberate - to throw or bend back (from a surface); "Sound is reflected well in this auditorium" |
| 2. | mirror - reflect or resemble; "The plane crash in Milan mirrored the attack in the World Trade Center" reflect - give evidence of the quality of; "The mess in his dorm room reflects on the student" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
mirror
noun
1. looking-glass, glass (Brit.), reflector, speculum He went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror.
verb
Related words
fear eisoptrophobia
fear eisoptrophobia
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
mirror
nounverb
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
مِرْآةٌمِرآهيَعْكِس كما في المِرآه
zrcadlozrcadlit
spejlspejle
peili
zrcalo
spegillspegla
鏡
거울
atspindėti
atspoguļotspogulis
zrcalo
spegel
กระจก
gương
mirror
[ˈmɪrəʳ]A. N → espejo m
driving mirror → retrovisor m, espejo m retrovisor
to look at o.s. in the mirror → mirarse en el or al espejo
she got in the car and adjusted the mirror → entró en el coche y ajustó el retrovisor
driving mirror → retrovisor m, espejo m retrovisor
to look at o.s. in the mirror → mirarse en el or al espejo
she got in the car and adjusted the mirror → entró en el coche y ajustó el retrovisor
B. VT → reflejar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
mirror
n → Spiegel m; a mirror of 19th century life → ein Spiegelbild nt → des Lebens im 19. Jahrhundert; to hold a mirror up to something → etw widerspiegeln
vt → widerspiegeln, spiegeln; the trees mirrored in the lake → die Bäume, die sich im See (wider-)spiegelten
mirror
:mirror image
n → Spiegelbild nt
mirror site
n (Comput) → Mirrorsite f
mirror writing
n → Spiegelschrift f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
mirror
[ˈmɪrəʳ]1. n → specchio (Aut) → specchietto (retrovisore)
hand mirror → specchio a mano
pocket mirror → specchietto da borsetta
to look at o.s. in the mirror → guardarsi allo specchio
hand mirror → specchio a mano
pocket mirror → specchietto da borsetta
to look at o.s. in the mirror → guardarsi allo specchio
2. vt → riflettere, rispecchiare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
mirror
(ˈmirə) noun a piece of glass or metal having a surface that reflects an image. She spends a lot of time looking in the mirror.
verb to reflect as a mirror does. The smooth surface of the lake mirrored the surrounding mountains.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
mirror
→ مِرْآةٌ zrcadlo spejl Spiegel καθρέφτης espejo peili miroir zrcalo specchio 鏡 거울 spiegel speil lustro espelho зеркало spegel กระจก ayna gương 镜子Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
mir·ror
n. espejo.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
mirror
n espejoEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.