Chirality
/kaɪˈrælɪti/noun
The property of an object or molecule having a left- and right-handed form that are not superimposable.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek cheir, meaning “hand,” because hands are the classic example of non-superimposable mirror images — a concept that became essential in modern chemistry and biology.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
χείρ (cheír)
“hand”
Late 19th Century
English
chiral
“having a handedness; asymmetrical in a way like left and right hands”
Late 19th Century
English
chirality
“the property of being chiral”
Modern English
English
chirality
“the property of a molecule or object that is not superimposable on its mirror image”
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