asymmetry
/eɪˈsɪmɪtɹi/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.88 in modern English
19
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An absence of symmetry or proportion between the parts of a thing, or a distinction that produces such a lack of symmetry.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
The lack of a common measure between two objects or quantities; incommensurability.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Despite the generally symmetrical appearance of the two hemispheres, however, a number of biological asymmetries have been documented during the last hundred years."
- "If the planet is on moderate eccentric orbit (0.01), it creates large-scale azimuthal assymetries which evolve at the orbital velocity of the corresponding resonance, for example at half time the planet velocity for the stronger resonance, the 2:1 one."
- "In this sense, the concern of political economy with assymetries of information among political actors is well-placed."
- "Transnational feminists argue that feminists need to understand the material conditions that shape women's lives in diverse locations, particularly in a world "structured by transnational economic links and cultural assymetries" (Grewal and Kaplan, 3)."
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἀσυμμετρία (asummetría), from ἀσύμμετρος (asúmmetros) + -ία (-ía), from ἀ- (a-) + σύμμετρος (súmmetros); equivalent to a- + symmetry.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /eɪˈsɪmɪtɹi/
- British English: /eɪˈsɪmɪtɹi/