1. of, relating to, or having the form of a chiasmus; arranged in a reversal or crossing pattern
Usage: literary and rhetorical term; from Greek chiasmos, meaning a crossing
2. relating to or involving the optic chiasm or the crossing of nerve fibers
Usage: anatomy and neuroscience

Examples

• The poet used a chiastic structure to emphasize the contrast between the two ideas.
• Her speech employed chiastic phrasing: 'Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.'
• The chiastic arrangement of the words created a memorable and balanced effect.
• In anatomy, the chiastic region of the brain is where the optic nerves cross.
• The author's chiastic sentence construction mirrored the theme of reversal in the narrative.