Greek/Latin Roots

Whole Group

flex and flect mean bend

circumflex
To bend around or curve
Your wrist must be able to circumflex.

deflect
To turn or move to one side; to bend; to swerve
A bulletproof vest must be able to deflect
bullets to save lives.

flexible
Capable of bending without breaking
A ballerina must be flexible to complete all of the
twist and turns required in a show.

flexor
A muscle that bends part of the body, such as an arm or
leg
The boy used the flexor to bend his arm.

inflection
The bending of a persons voice so that it does not sound
boring.
When asking a question, you must use inflection at
the end to make your voice go a little higher.

inflexible
No capable of being bent without breaking
The inflexible pencil snapped when I bent it too far.

reflect
To bend or throw light; to fold or turn back
When making a solar cooker, you have to figure out
how to reflect the light to cook the food.

Reflex angle
An angle that is greater than 180 degrees because the
angle is bent beyond a straight line

reflection
An image in the mirror that is the result of bending light
when it is thrown back.
Neurobiology investigates how the brain affects
the body.

retroflex
Bent or turned backward