ambidextrous
/ˌæmbəˈdekstɹəs/am-buh-DEK-struhs
/ˌæmbəˈdɛkstɹəs/am-buh-DEK-struhs
Meaningright-handed on both sides
Common meaning: able to use both hands equally
- ambiboth (Latin ambo)
- dextrright-hand; deftLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 567 · scan
- ousadjective ending: full of, having
‘both (Latin ambo)’ + ‘right-hand’ → ambidextrous
Journey through time
- Latindexter, -tra, -trum‘right-hand’
- Englishambidextrous‘able to use both hands equally’ · today
dextr also in: dexterity
Sources & notes
Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
- No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
- US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
- No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.
Origin: Built on Latin dexter ‘right-hand; deft’.
Roots
- dexter, -tra, -trum Latin “right-hand; deft”
Related words
Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app