WordGarden.ioreflectivity
A2Pronunciation
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Meanings
Noun
the degree to which a surface or material reflects light, heat, or other radiation
Beyond the definition
Reflectivity is the measure of how much light, heat, or other radiation a surface sends back instead of absorbing. Shiny materials such as polished metal usually have high reflectivity, while dark or rough surfaces usually have low reflectivity. The word appears most often in science, engineering, and materials talk, where people compare how different surfaces behave. You might say, "The mirror's reflectivity was very high," or "The black paint has low reflectivity."
Reflectivity is a technical word for the amount of light, heat, or other electromagnetic radiation that a surface reflects. It is usually discussed as a measurable property of a material. A surface with high reflectivity sends back a large part of what hits it, so it may look bright, shiny, or easier to see. A surface with low reflectivity absorbs more and reflects less, so it may look darker or duller.
The word is common in physics, optics, astronomy, photography, climate science, and engineering. Scientists may talk about the reflectivity of a telescope mirror, a planet's surface, a road sign, a solar panel coating, or a type of paint. In each case, the idea is the same: how much incoming energy is reflected rather than absorbed. For example, "Fresh snow has high reflectivity," or "The coating was designed to reduce reflectivity."
In everyday English, people may loosely use the word when talking about how shiny something looks, but its strongest and most accurate use is still physical and scientific. It is not usually the best word for personal self-examination; for that meaning, words like "reflection" or "reflectiveness" are more natural. At heart, reflectivity is about a surface sending something back.
Examples
- 1
Mirrors
The mirror's high reflectivity makes the hallway look much brighter.
- 2
Roof coatings
Engineers compared the solar reflectivity of different roof coatings before choosing one for the school.
- 3
Weather radar
In weather radar, heavy rain usually shows up with higher reflectivity than light rain.
- Domainweather radar
a system that uses radio waves to track rain and storms
See also
Similar
- reflectance
- reflective power
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- absorptivity
- transmissivity
Do not confuse
- refractivity
Used with (collocations)
- high reflectivity
- low reflectivity
- surface reflectivity
- radar reflectivity
Word family
Explore
- reflection
- specular reflection
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- reflectivitynoun