Symmetry
/ˈsɪm.ə.tri/noun
Balanced arrangement of parts that are similar in size, shape, or position.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek *symmetria*, literally a condition of ‘shared measure,’ showing how ancient thinkers linked beauty, order, and proportion to the structure of the universe.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*meh₁-
“to measure”
Ancient Greek
Greek
συμμετρία (symmetria)
“due proportion, commensurability, harmony of parts”
Late Latin
Latin
symmetria
“proportion, symmetry”
Old French
Old French
symétrie
“proportion, balanced arrangement”
16th Century
English
symmetry
“proportion or harmonious arrangement of parts”
Modern English
English
symmetry
“balanced arrangement of comparable parts”
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