Antisymmetry

/ˌæntiˈsɪmətri/ noun

Definition

The property or condition of being antisymmetric; a lack of reciprocal symmetry in mathematical or logical relations.

Etymology

From anti- (against) + symmetry (from Greek sym- 'together' + metron 'measure'). This noun form emerged alongside the development of formal mathematics and set theory in the 1900s.

Kelly Says

Antisymmetry is hidden in everyday life: your parents are 'greater than' you in age, but you're not 'greater than' them—that antisymmetry is what makes hierarchies work mathematically, from family trees to organizational charts.

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