Capable of turning something aside or changing its direction; having the quality of deflecting.
From Latin 'deflectere' (de- 'away' + flectere 'to bend'), combined with the suffix '-ive' meaning 'tending to' or 'capable of'. The term developed in physics and engineering contexts.
Deflective surfaces appear everywhere in nature—from the curved shells of beetles that repel water to the shape of aircraft wings that redirect airflow. Engineers borrowed this concept to create deflective armor that works by angling impacts rather than absorbing them head-on.
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