different between dexter vs ambidexterity

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dexter, from Proto-Indo-European *de?s(i)-tero-, from *de?s- (“right”) (Pokorny, Watkins, 1969; et al.). Compare Epic Greek ????????? (dexiterós, “right hand”), ?????? (dexiós, “right”), Old Church Slavonic ????? (desn?, “right”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?d?kst?/

Adjective

dexter (not comparable)

1. Right; on the right-hand side.
   • 1911, Saki, ‘The Match-Maker’, The Chronicles of Clovis:

     Clovis wiped the trace of Turkish coffee and the beginnings of a smile from his lips, and slowly lowered his dexter eyelid.

Translations

Noun

dexter (plural dexters)

1. (heraldry) The right side of a shield from the wearer's standpoint, and the left side to the viewer.
2. The right hand.

Translations

See also

• sinister

Latin

Alternative forms

• dester (Vulgar or Late Latin, Pompeian inscriptions)

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *deksiteros, from Proto-Indo-European *de?si-tero-s, from *de?s- (“right”). Cognate with Ancient Greek ?????? (dexiós), Old High German zesawa (“right hand, right hand side”), Sanskrit ?????? (dák?i?a).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?dek.ster/, [?d??ks?t??r]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?dek.ster/, [?d??kst??r]

Adjective

dexter (feminine dextra or dextera, neuter dextrum or dexterum); first/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er; two different stems)

1. right (relative direction), right hand

   Antonyms: laevus, scaevus, sinister

2. skillful
3. fortunate, favorable
4. proper, fitting

Declension

First/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er; two different stems).

Derived terms

• dextere
• dextr?
• dexterit?s
• dextr?le n, dextr?liolum n
• dextr?rsum, dextr?rsus, dextr?versum
• ambidexter

Related terms

• dextral

Descendants

References

• dexter in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• dexter in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• dexter in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book?^[1], London: Macmillan and Co.

English

Etymology

Dating from the 17th century C.E.; ambidexter +? -ity, from Medieval Latin adjective ambidexter (“utilising both hands normally”), from Latin ambi- + dexter (“right, handy, opportune”).

Noun

ambidexterity (uncountable)

1. The property of being equally skillful with each hand.
2. Superior cleverness or adaptability.

Related terms

• ambidextrous
• dexter
• dexterity
• dextrous

Translations

See also

• sinister

Further reading

• ambidexterity on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “ambidexterity”, in Online Etymology Dictionary