mirror

• mirrour (obsolete)

From Middle English mirour, borrowed from Old French mireor, from mirer, to look at, from Latin mīror (“wonder at”), from mīrus (“wonderful”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmɪɹ.ə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈmiɹ.ɚ/, /ˈmɪɹ.ɚ/, /ˈmiɚ/, /ˈmɪɚ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Audio (RP)

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• Rhymes: -ɪɹə, -ɪɹə(ɹ), -ɪə(ɹ)
• (some accents) Homophone: mere

mirror (plural mirrors)

1. A smooth surface, usually made of glass with reflective material painted on the underside, that reflects light so as to give an image of what is in front of it.

   I had a look in the mirror to see if the blood had come off my face.

   We could see the lorry in the mirror, so decided to change lanes.

2. (figuratively) An object, person, or event that reflects or gives a picture of another.

   His story is a mirror into the life of orphans growing up.

   • Spenser

     O goddess, heavenly bright, / Mirror of grace and majesty divine.

3. (Internet) A website or other online resource that contains replicated data.

   Although the content had been deleted from his blog, it was still found on some mirrors.

4. A mirror carp.
5. (historical) A kind of political self-help book, advising kings, princes, etc. on how to behave.

• (reflecting surface): glass (old-fashioned), looking glass (old-fashioned)

mirror (third-person singular simple present mirrors, present participle mirroring, simple past and past participle mirrored)

1. (transitive) Of an event, activity, behaviour, etc, to be identical to, to be a copy of.

   He tried to mirror Elvis's life. He copied his fashion and his mannerisms, and he even went to live in Graceland.

2. (computing, transitive) To create something identical to (a web site, etc.).
3. (transitive) To reflect, as in a mirror.

• cheval glass
• looking glass