sinister
[ sin-uh-ster ]
/ ˈsɪn ə stər /
adjective
threatening or portending evil, harm, or trouble; ominous: a sinister remark.
bad, evil, base, or wicked; fell: his sinister purposes.
unfortunate; disastrous; unfavorable: a sinister accident.
of or on the left side; left.
Heraldry. noting the side of an escutcheon or achievement of arms that is to the left of the bearer (opposed to dexter).
Words nearby sinister
sinicism, sinicize, sinify, sinigrin, sining, sinister, sinistrad, sinistral, sinistrality, sinistration, sinistro-
Origin of sinister
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin: on the left hand or side, hence unfavorable, injurious
SYNONYMS FOR sinister
3 unlucky.
OTHER WORDS FROM sinister
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for sinisterly
British Dictionary definitions for sinisterly
sinister
/ (ˈsɪnɪstə) /
adjective
threatening or suggesting evil or harm; ominousa sinister glance
evil or treacherous, esp in a mysterious way
(usually postpositive) heraldry of, on, or starting from the left side from the bearer's point of view and therefore on the spectator's right
archaic located on the left side
archaic (of signs, omens, etc) unfavourable
Compare dexter 1
Derived forms of sinister
sinisterly, adverbsinisterness, nounWord Origin for sinister
C15: from Latin sinister on the left-hand side, considered by Roman augurs to be the unlucky one
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Medicine definitions for sinisterly
sinister
[ sĭn′ĭ-stər ]
adj.
Presaging trouble; ominous.
On the left side; left.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.