Saturday, November 29

The Word Is Given: ambisinistrous

Pronunciation: [æm-bi-'sin-is-três]

Definition 1: Equally clumsy with either hand, maladroit

Usage 1: This word is the opposite of "ambidextrous," and it reflects the right-handed majority's bias that all things right-handed are good and dextrous, while the left hand is seen as bad and clumsy (see Etymology). It is analoguous to the construction "having two left feet," and it has a rarely attested synonym in "ambilævous" [æm-bi-'lee-vês]. By analogy with "ambidextrous" we may form an adverb "ambisinistrously" and a noun "ambisinistrousness."



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