dextral
dextral — adjective
- dextralpositive
- more dextralcomparative
- most dextralsuperlative
1. located on or related to the right side of something, rather than the left.
located on or related to the right side of something, rather than the left.
The dextral wing of the old hospital was rebuilt after the storm.
attributive use before a noun for physical location
Shirin divided the collected shells into two piles according to whether they were dextral or sinistral.
predictive use with 'be', contrasted with sinistral
Bao pointed out that the dextral side of the fossil was more clearly preserved.
According to the old map, most of the shops were on the dextral bank of the river.
- right-hand
more common in everyday English; 'the right-hand side' is preferred over 'the dextral side' in casual speech
- rightward
suggests motion or direction toward the right, not static position
文法句型
dextral + noun
be dextral
用法筆記
This sense appears mainly in technical or formal descriptions of anatomy, architecture, geography, and biology. It is far less common than its opposite counterpart 'sinistral'.
2. preferring to use the right hand, foot, or eye instead of the left one when perf
preferring to use the right hand, foot, or eye instead of the left one when performing tasks.
The research team found that roughly ninety percent of the participants were dextral.
predictive 'be dextral' with statistical context
Asher borrowed a pair of dextral scissors from the art room for the project.
attributive use modifying a tool designed for right-handed users
Most dextral children reach for a crayon with their right hand before their first birthday.
Lisa and Felipe both described themselves as dextral on the questionnaire but preferred using their left foot for kicking.
- right-handed
the everyday equivalent; far more common in casual and general writing
- right-footed
specifically refers to foot preference rather than general handedness
- sinistral
technical opposite; describes preferring the left side
- left-handed
the common opposite in daily use
文法句型
dextral + noun (person)
be dextral
用法筆記
Unlike 'right-handed', which usually refers only to the hand, 'dextral' can also describe a preference for the right foot or right eye. It is more common in academic psychology and sports science writing.