southpaw

[south-paw]

noun

1. a person who is left-handed.

2. Sports.

   1. a player who throws with the left hand, especially a pitcher.

   2. Boxing.,  a boxer who leads with the right hand and stands with the right foot forward, using the left hand for the most powerful blows.

adjective

1. left-handed.

southpaw

/ ˈsaʊθˌpɔː /

noun

1. a boxer who leads with his right hand and off his right foot as opposed to the orthodox style of leading with the left

2. any left-handed person

adjective

1. of or relating to a southpaw

Word History and Origins

Origin of southpaw¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85; south + paw ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of southpaw¹

C20: from _paw (in the sense: hand): originally a term applied to a left-handed baseball player: perhaps so called because baseball pitchers traditionally face west, so that a left-handed pitcher would throw with the hand on the south side of his body

Example Sentences

But Benavidez began landing combinations to the head and body with the speed of a lightweight, switching between southpaw and orthodox at will.

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Things seemed to be winding down for the southpaw from Dallas after he was limited to seven games last year because of offseason shoulder surgery and a bone spur in his left big toe.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He is a natural southpaw, although he often switches stances, and has never tasted defeat as a professional.

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The Irish southpaw has fought three times at Madison Square Garden and filled Dublin’s 3Arena last year.

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The southpaw from Chatham, Kent, has stopped 10 of his 12 professional opponents and is a heavy favourite to extend his unbeaten record.

Read more on BBC

When To Use

What does southpaw mean?

A southpaw is a left-handed person, especially a boxer or baseball pitcher. It is also an adjective meaning “left-handed.”What are other words are related to southpaw:

• pitcher



• boxing



• baseball