1. Plural of chiasm; a crossing or intersection of two structures, especially nerve fibers or blood vessels, forming an X-shaped pattern.
Usage: anatomy; biology
2. In rhetoric and literature, plural of chiasm; a reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases for rhetorical effect.
Usage: literary; rhetoric

Examples

• The optic chiasms are where the optic nerves cross in the brain.
• Damage to the chiasms can result in vision loss in specific areas of the visual field.
• The anatomist studied the chiasms formed by the intersecting blood vessels.
• In his speech, the orator used chiasms to create memorable, balanced phrases.
• The chiasms visible under the microscope showed the precise crossing pattern of the nerve fibers.