different between hefty vs lefty

English

Etymology

19th century. From heft (“weight”) +? -y.

The similarity with German heftig (“vigorous, violent, intense”) is apparently coincidental. From the German are Dutch, Danish, Norwegian heftig, Swedish häftig.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?h?fti/

Adjective

hefty (comparative heftier, superlative heftiest)

1. Heavy, strong, vigorous, mighty, impressive.

   He can throw a hefty punch.

   • 1934, Frank Richards, The Magnet, Kidnapped from the Air

     The Remove dormitory echoed to the old, familiar sound of Bunter's hefty snore.

2. Strong; bulky.

   They use some hefty bolts to hold up road signs.

3. (of a person) Possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful; powerfully or heavily built.

   He was a tall, hefty man.

4. Heavy, weighing a lot.

   She carries a hefty backpack full of books.

5. (colloquial, of a number or amount) Large.

   That's going to cost you a hefty sum.

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "hefty" is often applied: price tag, premium, profit, price, penalty, fine, portion, salary, gain, increase, amount, sum, check, fee.

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• leftie

Etymology

left +? -y

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?l?fti/

Noun

lefty (plural lefties)

1. (informal) One who is left-handed.
2. (Britain, informal) One who has left-wing political views.
3. (slang) One's left testicle.

   I'll bet my lefty he won't show up for work today.

Synonyms

• left-hander
• southpaw

Translations

Adjective

lefty (not comparable)

1. (US) Left-handed.
2. (US) Intended for left-handed use.

   The lefty scissors are the ones with the red plastic handles.

3. (Britain, informal) Left-wing.

Anagrams

• Felty, felty, flyte, yleft