left-handed

American  

[left-han-did] / ˈlɛftˈhæn dɪd /

adjective

1. having the left hand more dominant or effective than the right; preferably using the left hand.

   a left-handed pitcher.

2. adapted to or performed by the left hand.

   a left-handed tool; a left-handed tennis serve.

3. situated on the side of the left hand.

4. Machinery.

   1. rotating counterclockwise.

   2. noting a helical or spiral member, as a gear tooth or screw thread, that twists counterclockwise as it recedes from an observer.

5. Building Trades. left-hand.

6. ambiguous or doubtful and often unfavorable or derogatory by implication.

   a left-handed compliment.

7. clumsy or awkward.

8. of, relating to, or issuing from a morganatic marriage: so called from the custom, in morganatic marriage ceremonies, of having the bridegroom give his left hand to the bride.

---

adverb

1. with the left hand.

   He writes left-handed.

2. toward the left hand; in a counterclockwise direction.

   The strands of the rope are laid left-handed.

left-handed British  

adjective

1. using the left hand with greater ease than the right

2. performed with the left hand

3. designed or adapted for use by the left hand

4. worn on the left hand

5. awkward or clumsy

6. ironically ambiguous

   a left-handed compliment

7. turning from right to left; anticlockwise

8. law another term for morganatic

---

adverb

1. with the left hand

Other Word Forms

• left-handedness
  noun
• left-handedly
  adverb

---

Etymology

Origin of left-handed

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at left ¹, handed

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

left-handed

The researchers used circularly polarized X-rays, which have electric fields that rotate in either a left-handed or right-handed direction as the light travels.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026

And nobody has been more important during this magical stretch than their 28-year-old, left-handed setup man with a résumé full of disappointment on baseball’s biggest stage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

Conventional wisdom used to dictate that righty pitchers should only throw changeups against left-handed batters and vice versa.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

Then Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had left-handed hitting Max Muncy pinch hit for center fielder Andy Pages.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

There was a joy there, if oblique, left-handed, and Wen probably thought here was a man with whom he could share a longing.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---