Standard Lemma guide

levorotatory

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

(of an optically active compound or crystal) That rotates the plane of polarized light to the left, or counter-clockwise. Notation: (−) or formerly lowercase l-.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

Examples

  • Levofloxacin is the levorotatory enantiomer of the medication ofloxacin.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

rotating to the left

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: levorotary, left-handed

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *leh2iwosder. Latin laevus English levo- English rotatory English levorotatory From levo- + rotatory.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: lévogyre — that rotates the plane of polarized light to the left
  • German: linksdrehend — that rotates the plane of polarized light to the left
  • Greek: αριστερόστροφος (aristeróstrofos) — that rotates the plane of polarized light to the left
  • Italian: levogiro — that rotates the plane of polarized light to the left
  • Italian: sinistrorso — that rotates the plane of polarized light to the left
  • Portuguese: levógiro — that rotates the plane of polarized light to the left
  • Spanish: levógiro — that rotates the plane of polarized light to the left