Where does “retroreflective” come from?
retroreflective (English) comes from English reflective, from English reflect, from Old French reflecter, from Latin reflectō, from Latin rĕ-, from Latin prōdūcō, from Latin prō-, from Proto-Italic *pro- — passed , crossed.
retroreflective (English): Tending to reflect light back to its source with...
Definitions
- Tending to reflect light back to its source with...
Ancestry of “retroreflective”, step by step
retroreflective traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English reflective
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | reflective | That reflects, or redirects back to the source;... |
| 2 | English | reflect | To bend back (light, etc.) from a surface |
| 3 | Old French | reflecter | — |
| 4 | Latin | reflectō | to turn back or away; yield; retreat |
| 5 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 6 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 7 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |