Word
asymmetric
Phoneticsasym·met·ric
US/ˌeɪsəˈmɛtɹɪk/
UK/ˌeɪsɪmˈɛtɹɪk/
Definition
adj. having two sides or parts that are not the same in shape, size, or arrangement.
adj. characterised by a lack of symmetry; having parts that do not correspond to one another in size, shape, or relative position.
Examples
“The artist painted an asymmetric pattern on the wall.”
“The tailor noted that the jacket had an asymmetric hemline, being significantly longer on the left side than the right.”
“In modern warfare, asymmetric conflict occurs when there is a significant disparity in the military power or tactics used by the opposing sides.”
Examples
simple
“The artist painted an asymmetric pattern on the wall.”
contextual
“The tailor noted that the jacket had an asymmetric hemline, being significantly longer on the left side than the right.”
complex
“In modern warfare, asymmetric conflict occurs when there is a significant disparity in the military power or tactics used by the opposing sides.”
Usage
Often used to describe physical objects, mathematical relationships, or power dynamics between two groups.
Real-World Examples
“Wherever Americans discover romance and an asymmetric exchange rate, set the countdown to over-tourism.” “Until now, producing chiral optical materials has generally required the complex synthesis of molecules with asymmetric structures or the addition of large amounts of chiral substances.” Etymology
From a- + symmetric, as Ancient Greek ἀσυμμετρία (asummetría, “disproportion, deformity”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/asymmetric