laeotropic

American  

[lee-uh-trop-ik, -troh-pik] / ˌli əˈtrɒp ɪk, -ˈtroʊ pɪk /

adjective

1. oriented or coiled in a leftward direction, as a left-spiraling snail shell.

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Etymology

Origin of laeotropic

First recorded in 1880–85; from Greek laiós (dialect laiwós ) “left, left side” (akin to Latin laevus and Polish lewy ) + -o- + -tropic

Explanation

Something that is laeotropic turns, twists, or spirals to the left. In biology, it's usually used to describe rare snail shells that twist in a counterclockwise direction. The word laeotropic is a technical term that is primarily used in the sciences. It comes from the Greek word laios, meaning "left," and the English suffix -tropic, which is derived from the Greek trope, meaning "a turning." While it's most commonly used in biology to describe the spiral pattern of a mollusk's shell, it is also used in physical sciences to describe the way certain substances rotate light. The opposite of laeotropic is dextrotropic, which refers to a rightward or clockwise twist.