Standard Lemma guide

stereoisomerism

noun · 1 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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  • /ˌstɛɹɪəʊaɪˈsɒməɹɪzəm/

1

noun

Meaning 1

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.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: chemistry, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: optical isomerism

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ster-der. Ancient Greek στερεός (stereós) Ancient Greek στερεο- (stereo-)der. English stereo- English isomer Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English isomerism English stereoisomerism From stereo- + isomerism.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Cantonese: 立體異構 /立体异构 (laap6 tai2 ji6 kau3, lap6 tai2 ji6 gau3) — form or isomerism
  • Chinese Mandarin: 立體異構 /立体异构 (lìtǐ yìgòu) — form or isomerism
  • Czech: stereoizomerie — form or isomerism
  • Finnish: stereoisomeria — form or isomerism
  • French: stéréoisomérie — form or isomerism
  • Greek: στερεοϊσομέρεια (stereoïsoméreia) — form or isomerism
  • Italian: stereoisomeria — form or isomerism
  • Portuguese: estereoisomeria — form or isomerism
  • Portuguese: estereoisomerismo — form or isomerism
  • Russian: стереоизомерия (stereoizomerija) — form or isomerism
  • Russian: стереоизомеризм (stereoizomerizm) — form or isomerism
  • Spanish: estereoisomería — form or isomerism