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5406 entries found
symmetric (adj.)
1796, from symmetry + -ic. Earlier in the same sense was symmetral (1650s).
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symmetrical (adj.)
1751, from symmetry + -ical. Related: Symmetrically (1570s).
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symmetrize (v.)
1749, from French symmétriser, from symmétrie (see symmetry). Related: Symmetrize; symmetrizing.
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symmetrophobia (n.)
1809, from combining form of symmetry + -phobia. Supposed to be evident in Egyptian temples and Japanese art.
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symmetry (n.)
1560s, "relation of parts, proportion," from Middle French symmétrie (16c.) and directly from Latin symmetria, from Greek symmetria "agreement in dimensions, due proportion, arrangement," from symmetros "having a common measure, even, proportionate," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + metron "measure" (from PIE root *me- (2) "to measure"). Meaning "harmonic arrangement of parts" first recorded 1590s.
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sympathetic (adj.)
1640s, "pertaining to sympathy," from Modern Latin sympatheticus, from late Greek sympathetikos "having sympathy," from sympathein, from sympathes "having a fellow feeling, affected by like feelings" (see sympathy). In English, the meaning "having fellow feeling, susceptible to altruistic feelings" is recorded from 1718.

In the anatomical sense, "subject to a common nervous influence," the word is attested from 1769, from Modern Latin (nervus) sympathicus, coined by Jacques-Benigne Winslow (1669-1760), Danish anatomist living in Paris. Related: Sympathetical (1630s); Sympathetically (1620s).
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sympathise (v.)
chiefly British English spelling of sympathize (q.v.); for suffix, see -ize. Related: Sympathised; sympathising.
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sympathize (v.)
"have fellow-feeling," c. 1600, from Middle French sympathiser, from sympathie (see sympathy). Earlier in a physiological sense (1590s). As "express sympathy," from 1748. Related: Sympathized; sympathizing.
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sympathizer (n.)
1815, agent noun from sympathize.
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sympathy (n.)
1570s, "affinity between certain things," from Middle French sympathie (16c.) and directly from Late Latin sympathia "community of feeling, sympathy," from Greek sympatheia "fellow-feeling, community of feeling," from sympathes "having a fellow feeling, affected by like feelings," from assimilated form of syn- "together" (see syn-) + pathos "feeling" (from PIE root *kwent(h)- "to suffer").

In English, almost a magical notion at first; used in reference to medicines that heal wounds when applied to a cloth stained with blood from the wound. Meaning "conformity of feelings" is from 1590s; sense of "fellow feeling, compassion" is first attested c. 1600. An Old English loan-translation of sympathy was efensargung.
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