asymmetry
Meaning
lack of equality or equivalence between parts or aspects of something; lack of symmetry.
Structure
Usage
the deliberate asymmetry of the building's design makes it strikingly modern.
there is a noticeable asymmetry in the distribution of resources between the two regions.
facial asymmetry is common and usually not a cause for medical concern.
Etymology
the word asymmetry is a direct negation of symmetry. it is formed by combining the greek-derived prefix "a-" (meaning "not" or "without") with the noun "symmetry," which itself originates from the greek symmetria, from syn- ("together") and metron ("measure"). the concept thus literally means "without common measure" or "without due proportion." this logical construction entered english via latin and french, preserving the clear opposition between balanced form and its absence, which is central to its use in mathematics, physics, biology, and art.
Analysis
a- (Greek origin, a prefix meaning "not" or "without"); symmetry (from Greek symmetria, meaning "agreement in dimensions, due proportion").