The word "asymmetric" is commonly misspelled as "asymmetrical" due to a common misunderstanding of the root word "metric" which means "measurement." However, the correct spelling of the word is "asymmetric" with an "a" instead of an "al" at the end. The IPA phonetic transcription of this word is /eɪsɪˈmɛtrɪk/. The "eɪ" represents the "a" sound, the "ɪ" represents the short "i" sound, and the "r" and "k" at the end indicate the silent "r" and "k" respectively.
Asymmetric is an adjective that describes something that lacks symmetry or balance. It refers to a condition wherein the two sides or parts of an object, structure, or situation do not match or correspond with each other. The term can be used in various contexts such as mathematics, physics, biology, and design.
In mathematics, an asymmetric relationship exists when the relation between two elements is not reflexive, meaning that if A is related to B, it does not imply that B is related to A. This concept is often studied in the field of abstract algebra.
In regard to physics, asymmetric refers to a system or arrangement that does not possess a symmetry property. It may describe a molecule or crystal structure in which the arrangement of atoms is not the same on both sides, resulting in different physical properties.
In the biological sense, asymmetric relates to organisms or body parts that are not identical on both sides. For instance, human faces are generally asymmetric, with one side having slightly different features than the other. In medicine, asymmetric is also used to describe irregularities or disproportions in bodily organs or structures.
In design, asymmetric refers to a style or composition that intentionally avoids symmetrical balance. In an asymmetrically designed artwork or object, the visual elements and proportions are deliberately placed off-center or in an uneven manner, creating a sense of dynamic and visual interest.
Overall, asymmetric denotes a lack of symmetry or balance, whether in physical forms, relationships, biological structures, or artistic expressions.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word asymmetric derives from the combination of the prefix a- which means not or without in Greek, and the word symmetric which originates from the Latin word symmetricus meaning having measure in common. Symmetricus itself is a combination of the prefix syn- meaning together and the word metron meaning measure. Thus, asymmetric can be understood as not having measure in common or without symmetry.