: the reflective quality or power of a surface or material
… conducting "reflectivity tests" to see whether Saudi sand when viewed through the goggles creates a sparkling effect that disorients pilots and causes them to send their helicopters careening to the ground.Newsweek
… there are many examples of luster-decorated ceramics, in which Islamic potters emulated the reflectivity of metalwork by applying metal oxides to white-glazed vessels …Roberta Smith
The warming at the surface could be expected to melt snow and ice, reducing the earth's albedo, or reflectivity.Roger Revelle

Examples of reflectivity in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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After the first few batches of satellites were launched in 2019, astronomers around the world raised concerns about the satellites’ reflectivity. Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024 This has a cooling effect, which encourages the buildup of more snow and ice, which results in more reflectivity, and so on. Krista Stevens, Longreads, 9 Oct. 2024 But even where plenty of ice remains the reflectivity of the surface is dropping. Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 However, the reflectivity of its clouds makes conventional imaging methods difficult. Samuel Sanders, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for reflectivity 

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reflectivity was in 1879

Dictionary Entries Near reflectivity

Cite this Entry

“Reflectivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reflectivity. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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