Showing properties that differ depending on direction, especially in physics and materials science.
From Greek 'aniso-' (unequal) + 'trope' (turning, direction) + '-al'. This technical term entered English via 19th-century physics to describe directional variation in material properties.
Wood is anisotropal—it's much stronger along the grain than across it, which is why axes split wood easily when hit perpendicular to the grain but resist lengthwise cuts.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.