right-hand man

American  

noun

1. an indispensable or invaluable assistant; right hand.

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right-hand man Idioms  

1. Also, right-hand woman. A trusted helper, as in Give it to Jill, she's my right-hand man. Based on the idea that in most people the right hand is the stronger of the two, this idiom today usually disregards gender, as in the example. However, in the the 17th and 18th centuries it also meant a soldier in a post of command on the right side of a cavalry unit, and then always denoted a man. [c. 1800]

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Etymology

Origin of right-hand man

First recorded in 1655–65

Example Sentences

"We became quite silent when we found the first bone," he said, adding that there were several pointers indicating that the skeleton belonged to the Sun King's right-hand man.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Authorities also announced the death of his right-hand man.

From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026

KYIV, Ukraine—Ukrainian anticorruption police dropped the teaser for the next episode of its top drama at 9 a.m. on Friday: They were conducting searches at locations linked to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s right-hand man.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

Munger, who died in 2023, was Buffett’s longtime right-hand man.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 10, 2025

I would do whatever it took to become Cory Cormier’s right-hand man, doling out fireworks at my whim.

From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon