Chiral: a confusing etymology.

Although Lord Kelvin first defined the word "chiral" in 1893-1894, references in the literature give dates varying from 1884 to 1904. He referred previously to hetero and homochiral in 1873 in a note that is now lost. Apparently overlooked have been his definitions of hetero and homochiral in a text that he coauthored in 1879. The etymology of these and other related neologisms is considered. Copyright 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.