Etymology

stereoisomerism

ste·re·o·i·som·er·is·m
S1T1E1R1E1O1I1S1O1M3E1R1I1S1M3

Today it means: A form of isomerism in which atoms are arranged differently about a chiral centre (or centre of asymmetry). They exhibit optical activity, and in a molecule with a single chiral centre the two isomers (enantiomers) are mirror images of each other whereas in a molecule with multiple chiral centres the isomers (diastereoisomers) are not normally mirror images. Full definition →

English isomerism ← Ancient Greek στερεο- (stereo-) ← Proto-Indo-European *ster-
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ster-
  2. Ancient Greekστερεός (stereós)
  3. Ancient Greekστερεο- (stereo-)
  4. Englishstereo-
  5. Englishisomer
  6. Englishisomerism
  7. English todaystereoisomerism

From stereo- + isomerism.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.