Standard Lemma guide

right-handedness

noun · 2 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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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state of being right-handed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

preference for using the right hand

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dextrality

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: handedness, laterality

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English right-handed Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English right-handedness From right-handed + -ness.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: oikeakätisyys — state of being right-handed
  • French: droiterie — state of being right-handed
  • French: dextralité — state of being right-handed
  • German: Rechtshändigkeit — state of being right-handed
  • German: Dextralität — state of being right-handed
  • Greek: δεξιοχειρία (dexiocheiría) — state of being right-handed
  • Italian: destrismo — state of being right-handed
  • Polish: praworęczność — state of being right-handed
  • Slovak: praváctvo — state of being right-handed
  • Slovak: pravorukosť — state of being right-handed
  • Spanish: lateralidad diestra — state of being right-handed
  • Spanish: dextralidad — state of being right-handed
  • Swedish: högerhänthet — state of being right-handed
  • Volapük: detaskil — state of being right-handed