centrosymmetric
SEN-troh-si-ME-trik
Definition
Describing a crystal or geometric structure that possesses a center of inversion, meaning its arrangement looks identical when rotated or inverted through that central point.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'centrum' (center) and the Greek 'symmetros' (of like measure), indicating a balanced arrangement around a central point.
In the news
The article uses the term to explain why ordinary diamond does not exhibit piezoelectricity, as its perfectly balanced cubic structure causes electrical charges to cancel each other out.
Diamond was classed as non-piezoelectric for more than a century—but HKU researchers have now bent ultrathin polycrystalline diamond membranes and generated stable, repeatable voltages, revealing an electrical response created by symmetry-breaking
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com