el espejo

Definition & meaning

Espejo means mirror: a surface that reflects an image.

It can also be used figuratively for something that reflects or reveals a situation or quality, or for a person regarded as an example to follow.

Grammar & Word origin

• Gender: masculine noun
• Plural: espejos
• Origin: from Latin speculum, meaning “mirror,” related to looking or seeing.

Synonyms & antonyms

• cristal ↗ — “glass”; it can refer to the glass in a mirror, but it does not mean “mirror” in general.
• reflejo ↗ — “reflection”; the image produced by a mirror, rather than the mirror itself.
• modelo ↗ — “model” or “role model”; similar to the figurative sense of a person serving as an example.

There is no common direct antonym.

Common phrases & collocations

• mirarse en el espejo ↗ — to look at oneself in the mirror.
• espejo retrovisor ↗ — rear-view mirror.
• ser el espejo de algo ↗ — to reflect or reveal something.