adj · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK:/ˌæm.biˈdɛk.stɹəs/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:/ˌæm.bɪˈdɛk.stɹəs/
rhymes with -ɛkstɹəs
CMU ARPABET:AE2 M B AH0 D EH1 K S T R AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:AE2 M B IH0 D EH1 K S T R AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Having equal or comparable ability in both hands; in particular, able to write well with both hands.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Equally usable by left-handed and right-handed people (as a tool or instrument).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Practising or siding with both parties.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Of a person, bisexual.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: humorous
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Exceptionally skillful; adept in more than one medium, genre, style, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Michelangelo was a very ambidextrous artist, producing sculptures and frescoes with equal ability.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective
Meaning 6
equally skillful with each hand
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an ambidextrous surgeon
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: two-handed
Antonyms: right-handed, left-handed
7
adjective satellite
Meaning 7
marked by deliberate deceptiveness especially by pretending one set of feelings and acting under the influence of another- Israel Zangwill- W.M.Thackeray
From Medieval Latin ambidexter + -ous, the former from ambi- (“both”) + dexter (“right”), thus literally “both hands being like a right hand”. By surface analysis, ambi- (“both”) + dextrous (“skillful; agile”). The Latin word is first attested in the Vetus Latina, calquing Ancient Greek ἀμφοτεροδέξιος (amphoterodéxios) in Judges 3:15 after the Septuagint, itself translating Hebrew אִטֵּר יַד יְמִינוֹ (iṭṭēr yaḏ yəmīnō, literally “bound in his right hand”). This phrase is now generally translated as “left-handed”; the Septuagint translation is either from a variant reading or from a different interpretation.
Across languages
Translations
43 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
أَضْبَط
(ʔaḍbaṭ)
— having equal ability in both hands
Aramaic:
ܓܘܼܪܕ݁ܡܵܢܵܐ
(gurdəmānā)
— having equal ability in both hands
Bengali:
সব্যসাচী
(śobbośaci)
— having equal ability in both hands
Catalan:
ambidextre
— having equal ability in both hands
Chinese Mandarin:
雙手靈巧的 /双手灵巧的
(shuāngshǒu língqiǎo de)
— having equal ability in both hands
Danish:
ambidekstral
— having equal ability in both hands
Dutch:
tweehandig
— having equal ability in both hands
Esperanto:
ambaŭmana
— having equal ability in both hands
Estonian:
mõlemakäelisus
— having equal ability in both hands
Finnish:
molempikätinen
— having equal ability in both hands
French:
ambidextre
— having equal ability in both hands
German:
beidhändig
— having equal ability in both hands
Greek:
αμφιδέξιος
(amfidéxios)
— having equal ability in both hands
Hindi:
सव्यसाची
(savyasācī)
— having equal ability in both hands
Hungarian:
kétkezes
— having equal ability in both hands
Ido:
ambidextra
— having equal ability in both hands
Indonesian:
ambidekstrus
— having equal ability in both hands
Irish:
comhdheas
— having equal ability in both hands
Italian:
ambidestro
— having equal ability in both hands
Japanese:
両手利きの
(ryōtekiki no)
— having equal ability in both hands
Korean:
양손잡이의
(yangsonjabi-ui)
— having equal ability in both hands
Central Kurdish:
چەپ وڕاستە
(çep wrraste)
— having equal ability in both hands
Malay:
dwicekat
— having equal ability in both hands
Manx:
co-yesh
— having equal ability in both hands
Manx:
co-yesh er dagh laue
— having equal ability in both hands
Māori:
raparingarua
— having equal ability in both hands
Marathi:
सव्यसाची
(savyasācī)
— having equal ability in both hands
Nepali:
सव्यसाची
(savyasācī)
— having equal ability in both hands
Odia:
ସବ୍ୟସାଚୀ
(sabyasāci)
— having equal ability in both hands
Polish:
oburęczny
— having equal ability in both hands
Portuguese:
ambidestro
— having equal ability in both hands
Romanian:
ambidextru
— having equal ability in both hands
Russian:
владе́ющий одина́ково хорошо́ обе́ими рука́ми
(vladéjuščij odinákovo xorošó obéimi rukámi)
— having equal ability in both hands
Sanskrit:
सव्यसाची
(savyasācī)
— having equal ability in both hands
Spanish:
ambidextro
— having equal ability in both hands
Spanish:
ambidiestro
— having equal ability in both hands
Spanish:
maniego
— having equal ability in both hands
Swedish:
dubbelhänt
— having equal ability in both hands
Swedish:
ambidexter
— having equal ability in both hands
Swedish:
ambidextriös
— having equal ability in both hands
Swedish:
tvehänt
— having equal ability in both hands
Swedish:
bådhänt
— having equal ability in both hands
Welsh:
deuddeheuig
— having equal ability in both hands