ambidextrous
adjEtymology
From Medieval Latin ambidexter + -ous, the former from ambi- (“both”) + dexter (“right”), thus literally “both hands being like a right hand”. By surface analysis, ambi- (“both”) + dextrous (“skillful; agile”). The Latin word is first attested in the Vetus Latina, calquing Ancient Greek ἀμφοτεροδέξιος (amphoterodéxios) in Judges 3:15 after the Septuagint, itself translating Hebrew אִטֵּר יַד יְמִינוֹ (iṭṭēr yaḏ yəmīnō, literally “bound in his right hand”). This phrase is now generally translated as “left-handed”; the Septuagint translation is either from a variant reading or from a different interpretation.
- derived from ἀμφοτεροδέξιος
Definitions
Having equal or comparable ability in both hands
Having equal or comparable ability in both hands; in particular, able to write well with both hands.
- Some are […]ambidextrous or right-handed on both sides; which happeneth only unto strong and athletical bodies, whose heat and spirits are able to afford an ability unto both.
Equally usable by left-handed and right-handed people (as a tool or instrument).
Practising or siding with both parties.
- All False, Shuffling, and Ambidextrous Dealings.
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Of a person, bisexual.
Exceptionally skillful
Exceptionally skillful; adept in more than one medium, genre, style, etc.
- Michelangelo was a very ambidextrous artist, producing sculptures and frescoes with equal ability.
The neighborhood
- synonymboth-handed
- synonymeither-handed
- antonymambilevous
- antonymambisinistrous
- neighborambidexterity
- neighbordextromanual
- neighborleft-handed
- neighborright-handed
- neighborsinistromanual
Derived
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for ambidextrous. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA