rearview mirror
1
3.4
- noun
- /ˈrɪrˌvjuː ˈmɪrər/
- US
:
espejo retrovisor digital
- His vehicle's rearview mirror provides a live video image, enhancing visibility while driving.
Examples
-
"Do you have a new deodorizer in here?" I asked, half expecting to see a little pine tree hanging from the rearview mirror.
Fiction book (1999) -
The new car has a rearview mirror that displays a video feed from a camera mounted at the back.
-
There is a small camera up by the rearview mirror and I think it's a simple eye track.
-
The days of being "the man" at Ohio State need to be put in the rearview mirror.
Blog text (1) -
Glancing up, Pang saw a small rectangular monitor had appeared where one might expect a rearview mirror.
Fiction book (2000) -
She adjusted the rearview mirror to get a better view of the road behind her.
How Clear
- Specialized
3
3.2
- US
1
3.4
2
3.5
- US
25
2.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
rearview + mirror
The noun is compositionally built from rear (the back) + view (what you see) + mirror (a reflective surface), so the meaning 'a mirror that shows the view to the rear' is directly derivable from its parts. Even if the device is a camera/screen variant, the underlying compound logic is straightforward and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will understand it.
Etymology
The rearview mirror can also be a screen that shows a 'live video image' from a rear camera instead of a glass mirror. It keeps the old name because it still gives the driver the rear view of the road behind the car.