Symmetric

Origin

From Latin symmetria from Ancient Greek συμμετρία (summetria).

Full definition of symmetric

Adjective

1. Symmetrical.
2. (set theory) Of a relation R on a set S, such that xRy if and only if yRx for all members x and y of S (that is, if the relation holds between any element and a second, it also holds between the second and the first)."Is a sibling of" is a symmetric relation.
3. (cryptography) Using the same key (or keys that are trivially related) for both encryption and decryption.

Related terms

• asymmetric
• symmetry

Anagrams

• mycterism