reflex movement
[ˈriːfleks ˈmuːvmənt]
nounpl: reflex movements
movimento reflexo
1. An automatic, involuntary physical response to a stimulus that occurs without conscious thought or control
When the doctor tapped her knee, a reflex movement caused her leg to kick.
Quando o médico bateu no joelho dela, um movimento reflexo fez sua perna chutar.
2. A rapid muscular response initiated by the nervous system in response to a sensory stimulus
Pulling your hand away from a hot stove is a reflex movement.
Afastar sua mão de um fogão quente é um movimento reflexo.
3. In physiology, a response mediated by a reflex arc in the spinal cord or brainstem
The pupil's reflex movement in response to light is a key neurological indicator.
O movimento reflexo da pupila em resposta à luz é um indicador neurológico importante.
The term is primarily used in medical, neurological, and educational contexts in both Brazil and the USA. In Brazilian healthcare settings, 'movimento reflexo' is a standard clinical term. The concept is particularly important in neurological examinations and is universally understood among healthcare professionals in Portuguese-speaking countries.
Related Idioms & Phrases
knee-jerk reaction (figurative extension of reflex movement)
gut reaction (colloquial reference to automatic responses)
second nature (describing behavior that has become reflexive)
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