asymmetrical

UK/ˌeɪsɪˈmɛtɹɪk(ə)l/US/ˌeɪsɪˈmɛtɹɪk(ə)l/

adjectiveB2+Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #13,621 of 15,258leans written

Asymmetrical means deliberately uneven between the two sides. An asymmetrical hem, asymmetrical design, asymmetrical warfare.

In design the unevenness is the point, since an asymmetrical layout draws the eye where a balanced one rests it. Real faces are all slightly asymmetrical, and perfectly mirrored ones look unsettling.

Definitions of asymmetrical

1adjectiveasymmetricalDeliberately uneven between the two sides.B2+
“The dress has an asymmetrical hem, longer on the left than on the right.”

asymmetrical is a quality.

Where it comes from

A-, meaning without, plus symmetrical, from Greek symmetria, a common measure.

From a + symmetrical.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in Colours & Patterns

Practise this word

asymmetrical in the wild

The asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (ATNR) is a primitive reflex found in newborn humans that normally vanishes around 6 months of age.
Asymmetrical tonic neck reflex
An asymmetrical spinnaker is a sail used when sailing between about 90 and 165 degrees from the angle of the wind.
Asymmetrical spinnaker
An asymmetrical spinnaker generates more lift at larger angles of attack than a genoa, providing the boat with more power when the apparent wind speed is dropping.
Asymmetrical spinnaker
In the Polyopisthocotylea, the haptor usually bears several clamps or suckers, and is often asymmetrical.
Haptor
The discovery of Jianianhualong supports the notion that asymmetrical feathers appeared early in the evolutionary history of the Paraves.
Jianianhualong

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

Related words

← Vocabulary