dextral
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or on the right side; right (opposed to sinistral).
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Zoology. Also (of certain gastropod shells) coiling clockwise, as seen from the apex.
adjective
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of, relating to, or located on the right side, esp of the body; right-hand
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of or relating to a person who prefers to use his right foot, hand, or eye; right-handed
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(of the shells of certain gastropod molluscs) coiling in an anticlockwise direction from the apex; dextrorse
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dextral
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If the opposing block moves right, it is dextral motion.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2017
An example of a dextral, right-lateral strike-slip fault is the San Andreas Fault, which denotes a transform boundary between the North American and Pacific plates.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 1, 2017
Given that handedness is apparent early in life and the vast majority of people are right-handed, we are almost certainly dextral by nature.
From Scientific American ● Mar. 24, 2013
Right′-hand′ed, using the right-hand more easily than the left: dextral: clockwise.—ns.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various
Shell bulimoid, dextral or sinistral; radular teeth, expanded at their extremities and multicuspidate.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 5 "Gassendi, Pierre" to "Geocentric" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
