1. Plural of chiasma; points where paired chromosomes cross over and exchange genetic material during meiosis.
Usage: biology; technical
2. Plural of chiasma; anatomical structures where nerve fibers or blood vessels cross, especially the optic chiasm where optic nerves intersect.
Usage: anatomy; medical
3. Plural of chiasma; a rhetorical device in which the second part of a sentence reverses the structure of the first part.
Usage: rhetoric; literary

Examples

• During meiosis, chiasmi form between homologous chromosomes, allowing genetic recombination.
• The biologist observed multiple chiasmi under the microscope during her chromosome analysis.
• Chiasmi in the optic pathway allow visual information from both eyes to be processed by the brain.
• The poet used chiasmi to create a memorable and balanced rhetorical effect in the verse.
• Genetic variation increases when chiasmi occur at different locations along the chromosome.