bilateral symmetry

noun Biology.

a basic body plan in which the left and right sides of the organism can be divided into approximate mirror images of each other along the midline.

Compare radial symmetry.

Origin of bilateral symmetry

First recorded in 1850–55

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British Dictionary definitions for bilateral symmetry

bilateral symmetry

noun

the property of an organism or part of an organism such that, if cut in only one plane, the two cut halves are mirror images of each otherSee also radial symmetry

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

bilateral symmetry in Medicine

bilateral symmetry

n.

Symmetrical arrangement, as of an organism or a body part, along a central axis, so that the body is divided into equivalent right and left halves by only one plane.

bilateral symmetry in Science

bilateral symmetry

[bī-lăt′ər-əl]

Symmetrical arrangement of an organism or part of an organism along a central axis, so that the organism or part can be divided into two equal halves. Bilateral symmetry is a characteristic of animals that are capable of moving freely through their environments. Compare radial symmetry.