ENGLISH
REFERENCE

symmetrical

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //səˈmɛtɹɪkəɫ// UK //sɪmˈɛtɹɪkəl// sym·met·ri·cal

adj. having two halves that are exactly the same in shape and size. You use this to describe things that look balanced and even on both sides.

adj. having parts that correspond to one another in size, shape, and position. Often used to describe geometric figures, biological structures, or aesthetic compositions.


SIMPLE

The butterfly has beautiful symmetrical wings.

CONTEXTUAL

The architect designed a symmetrical facade for the museum, with identical columns on either side of the main entrance.

COMPLEX

In classical portraiture, a perfectly symmetrical face is often used to represent ideal beauty, though slight natural imbalances can often make a subject appear more approachable and human.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From symmetry + -ical.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after a linking verb like 'be' or 'look'.

Pitfall

The building is more symmetrical than that one.The building is more nearly symmetrical than that one.While common in casual speech, 'symmetrical' is often treated as a non-gradable adjective in technical contexts; something is either symmetrical or it is not.

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