handedness

[ han-did-nis ]

noun

1. a tendency to use one hand more than the other.

handedness

/ ˈhændɪdnɪs /

noun

1. the tendency to use one hand more skilfully or in preference to the other
2. the property of some chemical substances of rotating the plane of polarized light in one direction rather than another See also dextrorotation laevorotation
3. the relation between the vectors of spin and momentum of neutrinos and certain other elementary particles See also helicity

handedness

/ hăn′dĭd-nĭs /

1. A preference for using one hand rather than the other to perform most manual tasks and activities. Most people are right-handed. Historically, it has been theorized that handedness is associated with a dominance of the opposite cerebral hemisphere of the brain, but this has not been conclusively proven. Although the scientific basis for handedness is unknown, the fact that left-handed parents more frequently have left-handed offspring suggests at least a partial genetic component. Some experts believe that children are trained to favor one hand over the other (usually the right hand.). Handedness is usually established in the first few years of life.
2. See chirality

Word History and Origins

Origin of handedness¹

First recorded in 1920–25; handed + -ness

Example Sentences

Ability levels between participants were varied, but there were no differences in performance between genders, nor did handedness change performance -- despite the Thumb always being worn on the right hand.

From Science Daily

Now, researchers at Penn State have made the material potentially more useful by imparting chirality -- or handedness -- on it, which could make for advanced sensors and implantable medical devices.

From Science Daily

One of them had to be circularly polarized in one direction, and the other needed to be the second harmonic of the first beam, polarized with the opposite handedness.

From Science Daily

“You told the jury you suspected there was heavy handedness going on, potential abuse going on. You could’ve gotten to the bottom of what you testified about back then,” Gaythwaite said.

From Seattle Times

"The memory devices based on the handedness of the helimagnets, free from the crosstalk among bits, could pave a new pathway for improving the memory density," says Masuda.

From Science Daily