right-handed

right-handed — adjective

IPA/ˌraɪt ˈhændɪd/
KK[raɪthˈændɪd]IPA/ˌraɪt ˈhændɪd/

1. describes someone who naturally favours the right hand when writing, drawing, th

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

describes someone who naturally favours the right hand when writing, drawing, throwing, or cutting food — any task that calls for careful hand control

Example

Abigail is right-handed, so she sits at the left end of the table to avoid bumping elbows.

predicative use with 'be'

The teacher saw that Cyrus was right-handed and placed his pencil on the correct side of the desk.

describing a child's hand preference

Common collocations
  • naturally right-handed
  • strongly right-handed
  • right-handed person
  • right-handed player
Synonyms
  • dextral

    a scientific or technical term for 'right-handed', rarely used in everyday conversation

Antonyms
  • left-handed

    naturally preferring the left hand — the direct opposite

Grammar Patterns

be + right-handed

a right-handed + noun

Usage Note

Frequently used with the verb 'to be' (She is right-handed). Can also appear before a noun as an attributive adjective (a right-handed student). This sense does not apply to animals outside of specialised research contexts.

Common Mistakes

I am a right-hand person.
I am right-handed.
'right-hand' describes position or assistance (right-hand side, right-hand man), not a person's natural hand preference.
She writes right-handedly.
She is right-handed.' or 'She writes with her right hand.
the adverb 'right-handedly' is not standard English.

2. made with a shape that fits the right hand comfortably, so that a right-handed p

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

made with a shape that fits the right hand comfortably, so that a right-handed person can use it with less effort

Example

Rodrigo bought right-handed scissors for his sewing class, but his friend needed the left-handed kind.

right-handed + [tool]

The carpenter ordered a right-handed plane for shaping the curved edge of the walnut cabinet door.

tool-specific collocation: right-handed plane

Common collocations
  • right-handed scissors
  • right-handed guitar
  • right-handed mouse
  • right-handed tool
  • right-handed equipment
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

a right-handed + [object]

Usage Note

Always placed before the noun it describes. Applies especially to tools, musical instruments, sports equipment, and kitchen utensils that have an asymmetrical design (scissors, knives, guitars, golf clubs, fishing reels).

Common Mistakes

These scissors are right-handed. They work well anyway.' (said by a left-handed person)
These are left-handed scissors.
right-handed scissors have the blades reversed and do not cut well when used in the left hand.

right-handed — adverb

IPA/ˌraɪtˈhæn.dɪd/
KK[raɪthˈændɪd]IPA/ˌraɪtˈhæn.dɪd/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Right-handed and left-handed describe a person's natural hand preference for fine-motor tasks like writing, cutting, and throwing; about 90% of people are right-handed. Ambidextrous refers to someone who can use both hands with roughly equal skill — true ambidexterity is rare, and most 'mixed-handed' people still have a dominant hand for writing. Dexterous means skillful with the hands generally, regardless of which hand is dominant: a right-handed surgeon is dexterous, but so is a left-handed artist. While right-handed and left-handed are everyday words (A2–B1), ambidextrous is more formal (C1) and dexterous is used in praise contexts (B2). In casual conversation, people say 'I'm right-handed' far more often than 'I'm dextral' (a scientific label).

right-handed ↗left-handed ↗ambidextrousdexterous ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • right-handed person
  • right-handed equipment
  • right-handed model

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining 'right' (from Old English 'riht', meaning 'correct, straight, proper') with 'handed' (from Old English 'hand' plus the adjective suffix '-ed'). In many cultures, the right hand has long been associated with skill, correctness, and moral goodness — the word 'right' itself carries these positive meanings. The compound 'right-handed' emerged in the late 14th century, originally contrasting with 'left-handed', which carried negative connotations in older English. The adverb use (e.g. 'to throw right-handed') developed later, around the 17th century.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1