: of or relating to a molecule that is not superimposable on its mirror image
Examples of chiral in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Their alarm stemmed from the fact that, because natural life is chiral, interactions between natural organisms and mirror bacteria would be profoundly unpredictable.
—
Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
As well as its use as a chiral species, HBL has been identified as a highly valuable precursor to a variety of chemicals and plastics by the U.S. Department of Energy.
—Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Such organisms would constitute living systems that are functionally equivalent to natural life but composed of molecules that are the complete chiral inverse of every living entity on Earth.
—Liyam Chitayat, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2025
Like Death Stranding 2’s revelations about the insidious origins of the chiral network, Infinite portrays American greatness (progress, technology, wealth) as stemming from exploitation.
—G Kirilloff, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chiral
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2025
As well as its use as a chiral species, HBL has been identified as a highly valuable precursor to a variety of chemicals and plastics by the U.S. Department of Energy.
—Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Such organisms would constitute living systems that are functionally equivalent to natural life but composed of molecules that are the complete chiral inverse of every living entity on Earth.
—Liyam Chitayat, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2025
Like Death Stranding 2’s revelations about the insidious origins of the chiral network, Infinite portrays American greatness (progress, technology, wealth) as stemming from exploitation.
—G Kirilloff, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for chiral
Cite this Entry
“Chiral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chiral. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
chiral
adjective
chi·ral
ˈkī-rəl 
1
a
of a molecule
: having a structure that is nonsuperimposable on its mirror image
chiral molecules
b
: relating to or composed of chiral molecules
In discussions of chiral drugs, thalidomide is sometimes cited as a prime example of a drug that differs strikingly in the properties of its two enantiomers.—Stephen C. Stinson, Chemical & Engineering News
Stephen C. Stinson, Chemical & Engineering News2
: of, relating to, or being a chiral center
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share