dextral
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or on the right side; right (opposed to sinistral).
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Zoology. Also (of certain gastropod shells) coiling clockwise, as seen from the apex.
adjective
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of, relating to, or located on the right side, esp of the body; right-hand
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of or relating to a person who prefers to use his right foot, hand, or eye; right-handed
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(of the shells of certain gastropod molluscs) coiling in an anticlockwise direction from the apex; dextrorse
Other Word Forms
- dextrality noun
- dextrally adverb
Etymology
Origin of dextral
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If the opposing block moves right, it is dextral motion.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017
An example of a dextral, right-lateral strike-slip fault is the San Andreas Fault, which denotes a transform boundary between the North American and Pacific plates.
From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2017
Given that handedness is apparent early in life and the vast majority of people are right-handed, we are almost certainly dextral by nature.
From Scientific American • Mar. 24, 2013
Adj. dextral, right-handed; dexter, dextrorsal†, dextrorse†; ambidextral†, ambidextrous; dextro-.
From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark
Shell helicoidally coiled, dextral or sinistral, the last whorl generally uncoiled.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 6 "Celtes, Konrad" to "Ceramics" by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
