1. rotating the plane of polarized light to the left (counterclockwise when viewed from the observer's perspective); having a negative optical rotation
Usage: chemistry; physics; also called left-handed or sinistrorotatory

Examples

• The levorotatory form of glucose rotates polarized light in the opposite direction from its dextrorotatory counterpart.
• Certain amino acids are levorotatory, which affects their biological activity.
• The chemist identified the compound as levorotatory by measuring its optical rotation.
• Levorotatory molecules have important applications in pharmaceutical development.
• The two enantiomers differ in that one is levorotatory and the other is dextrorotatory.