dextral

[ dek-struhl ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or on the right side; right ( sinistral ).
2. right-handed.
3. Also Zoology. (of certain gastropod shells) coiling clockwise, as seen from the apex.

dextral

/ ˈdɛkstrəl; dɛkˈstrælɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or located on the right side, esp of the body; right-hand
2. of or relating to a person who prefers to use his right foot, hand, or eye; right-handed
3. (of the shells of certain gastropod molluscs) coiling in an anticlockwise direction from the apex; dextrorse

Derived Forms

• dextrality, noun
• ˈdextrally, adverb

Other Words From

• dextral·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of dextral¹

1640–50; < Latin dext ( e ) r dexter + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Interestingly, almost all winter flounder wind up dextral.

From New York Times

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

Maslin stated that the anal tube is median in the specimens that he examined; we have not studied Maslin's specimens, but all tadpoles of Smilisca that we have examined have a dextral anal tube.

From Project Gutenberg

In a dextral Gastropod the shell is coiled in a right-handed spiral from apex to mouth, and the spiral also projects to the right of the median plane of the animal.

From Project Gutenberg

Shell helicoidally coiled, dextral or sinistral, the last whorl generally uncoiled.

From Project Gutenberg