asymmetry

noun

asym·​me·​try (ˌ)ā-ˈsi-mə-trē 

plural asymmetries

: lack or absence of symmetry

As Mercury orbits the Sun, it experiences a small torque due to its slight asymmetry in the plane of its orbit …

—Johanna Miller

French rococo was a part of this mood, which tended to favor pastel colors, asymmetry, a calculated disorder, a dreamy sensuality.

—Jonathan D. Spence

"Handedness"—whether we are left- or right-handed—is a convenient indicator of the development of the brain asymmetries that are thought to be required for language.

—Tim Flannery

Examples of asymmetry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Divided Society Distributional asymmetries characterize the systematic concentration of AI capabilities alongside the global distribution of environmental and social costs. —Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Today, bilateral trade reflects both the depth and the asymmetry of this partnership. —Hussein Kalout, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2025

Clarkson was aware of this rare asymmetry in snails from her work with the magazine New Zealand Geographic. —Angus Watson, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025

The old edge of information asymmetry shifted to expertise asymmetry in the internet age. —Ravi Kumar, Time, 25 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for asymmetry

• altimetry
• dosimetry
• calorimetry
• colorimetry
• supersymmetry
• symmetry

Medical Definition

asymmetry

noun

asym·​me·​try (ˈ)ā-ˈsim-ə-trē 

plural asymmetries

1

: lack or absence of symmetry: as

a

: lack of proportion between the parts of a thing

especially : want of bilateral symmetry

asymmetry in the development of the two sides of the brain

b

: lack of coordination of two parts acting in connection with one another

asymmetry of convergence of the eyes

2

: lack of symmetry in spatial arrangement of atoms and groups in a molecule