Having symmetry in two ways or directions; symmetrical about two different axes or planes.
From bi- (two) + symmetrical (having balanced proportions). The prefix bi- comes from Latin, while symmetrical derives from Greek symmetria, meaning 'proper proportion.' The term developed in mathematics and biology to describe objects with dual symmetries.
Starfish and snowflakes show bisymmetry—they're symmetrical not just left-to-right, but also through rotation. This kind of double symmetry is so common in nature that mathematicians created this word to capture something our brains instantly recognize as beautiful and balanced.
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