sinistral
Using left hand
Sinistral means on the left side or left-handed—the opposite of dextral.
The word appears mainly in technical contexts: anatomy, zoology, and geology.
A sinistral fault shifts leftward; a sinistral snail shell coils counterclockwise when viewed from above.
The old association of left-handedness with evil echoes in the Latin root, which also gave us sinister.
Dominant on sinister side
- leftyNon-dominant-side user
- southpawLeft-handed person, informally
- ambidextrousSkilled with both hands
- cack-handedInept or left-handed
Toward the left
- counterclockwiseRotating leftward from above
- anticlockwiseRotating opposite to clock hands
- portDocking place for ships
- widdershinsAgainst the sun's path
Mirror-image molecular variant
- stereoisomerMolecule differing only spatially
- chiralityMirror-image non-superimposability
- mirror imageReversed visual duplicate
- stereochemistryStudy of molecular shape
Hard outer covering
Not often encountered
- rareSeldom found or seen
- atypicalNot conforming to type
- uncommonSeldom occurring or found
- exceptionalNotably above the norm
anomalous · infrequent · peculiar · unconventional · singular · scarce · minority
left-handed
Dominant on sinister side
- leftyNon-dominant-side user
- southpawLeft-handed person, informally
- ambidextrousSkilled with both hands
leftward
Toward the left
- counterclockwiseRotating leftward from above
- anticlockwiseRotating opposite to clock hands
- portDocking place for ships
enantiomer
Mirror-image molecular variant
- stereoisomerMolecule differing only spatially
- chiralityMirror-image non-superimposability
- mirror imageReversed visual duplicate
stereochemistry · asymmetry · counterclockwise · anticlockwise
shell
Hard outer covering
conch · dextral · aperture · columella · gastropod · mollusk
unusual
Not often encountered
exceptional · anomalous · infrequent · peculiar · unconventional · singular · scarce · minority
- Left-handednessleft hand, lefty, southpaw, left-handed, left-handed pitcher
- left and right symbolismleft hand, right hand, dexter, left-handedness, right-handedness
- brain lateralitylaterality, handedness, brain lateralization, left-handedness, right-handedness
sinistraldextral
Of the right hand
right-handed · right · dexter · ambidextrous · starboard