Latin word root · Motion & Action

flect-: bending

flect- is a Latin root meaning “bending”. Learn its variants and explore 4 connected words.

Meaning and variants

Meaning: bending

Root forms: flect-, flex-

Source word: flectō — to bend, curve or bow

Word family and examples

• reflect

  to throw back light or heat; to think deeply

• flexible

  capable of bending easily without breaking

• flexibility

  The quality of being flexible, whether physically or metaphorically.

• flexion

  The act of bending a joint, especially a bone joint; the counteraction of extension.

Root connections help with vocabulary recall. They are not a complete etymological history, and a spelling match alone does not prove a relationship.

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