Etymology

chiral

C3H4I1R1A1L1

Today it means: that exhibits chirality; as in the left-handed and right-handed versions of a helix, or a molecule with L- and D- stereoisomers. Full definition →

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? ← Ancient Greek χείρ (kheír) ← Proto-Hellenic *kʰéhər
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰes-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰésōr
  3. Proto-Hellenic*kʰéhər
  4. Ancient Greekχείρ (kheír)
  5. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  7. English todaychiral

From Ancient Greek χείρ (kheír, “hand”) + English -al.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.