Deflected

How to spell deflected

9 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce deflected

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does deflected mean?

1. verbCaused something to change direction by hitting or interfering with it, or turned away criticism, blame, or attention.

Deflected in a sentence

• The goalkeeper deflected the shot over the crossbar.

• The minister calmly deflected every awkward question from reporters.

Where does deflected come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This is the past tense of 'deflect', which comes from the Latin verb deflectere, meaning 'to bend away' or 'to turn aside'. It was formed from the prefix de-, meaning 'away from', joined to flectere, the verb 'to bend'. That same flectere root sits inside a whole family of English words about bending and turning, including 'flexible', 'reflect', and 'inflection'. English adopted 'deflect' in the early 1500s, first describing a physical turning aside of something in motion, and the figurative sense of turning away blame or attention followed soon after. The spelling keeps the Latin 'flect' core intact, so remembering the relatives 'reflect' and 'flex' is the surest guide to the letters in the middle.

How the word is built

• de- (away, aside)
• flect (root flectere: to bend)
• -ed (past tense suffix)