left

1 of 3

adjective

ˈleft 

1

a

: of, relating to, situated on, or being the side of the body in which the heart is mostly located

her left leg

b

: done with the left hand

a left hook to the jaw

c

: located nearer to the left hand than to the right

a man's left chest

d(1)

: located on the left of an observer facing in the same direction as the object specified

stage left

the left arm of a chair

(2)

: located on the left when facing downstream

the left bank of a river

2

often capitalized : of, adhering to, or constituted by the left especially in politics

this left government with a cabinet of moderate liberals

—F. A. Magruder

left adverb

left

2 of 3

noun

1

a

: the left hand

b

: the location or direction of the left side

c

: the part on the left side

d

: a turn to the left

take a left at the intersection

2

a

: left field

b

: a blow struck with the left fist

3

often capitalized

a

: the part of a legislative chamber located to the left of the presiding officer

b

: the members of a continental European legislative body occupying the left as a result of holding more radical political views than other members

4

often capitalized

a

: those professing views usually characterized by desire to reform or overthrow the established order especially in politics and usually advocating change in the name of the greater freedom or well-being of the common man

b

: a radical as distinguished from a conservative position

leftmost

ˈleft-ˌmōst 

adjective

left

3 of 3

past tense and past participle of leave

Synonyms

Noun

• left wing
• leftism
• liberalism

Examples of left in a Sentence

Adjective

He felt a pain in his left side.

He hit him with a left hook to the jaw.

the left side of the street

Noun

We read from left to right.

You'll take two lefts and then a right.

He hit him with two quick lefts to the stomach followed by a right to the jaw.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Queen guitarist Brian May is on the road to recovery after suffering a minor stroke, which temporarily left him unable to move his left arm. —Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Sep. 2024

But as the 2024 election draws closer, Paul's support of Trump has taken a left turn. —Hannah Pinski, The Courier-Journal, 3 Sep. 2024

Noun

Then Williams, rolling to his left, lofted a perfect pass down the sideline for Odunze and a 45-yard gain that moved the offense to the Bengals 7-yard line. —Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2024

Betts led off with a homer to left and Lux, Will Smith and Rojas hitting two-out singles ahead of Kiermaier’s 415-foot, three-run blast to right-center field off reliever Andrew Kittredge, which gave the Dodgers a 7-4 lead. —Mike Digiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

Middle English, from Old English, weak; akin to Middle Low German lucht left; from the left hand's being the weaker in most individuals

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing left

• be left to one's own devices
• come out of left field
• feel left out
• have (got) nothing left to prove
• left a bad taste in my mouth
• left and right
• left-bank
• left brain
• left-click
• left field
• left-hand
• left-handed
• left-hander
• left him at the altar
• left of center
• left, right, and centre
• left shoulder arms
• left to rot in jail/prison
• left wing
• out in left field
• right and left
• right, left, and centre
• stage left
• the far left
• the left
• two left feet

Kids Definition

left

1 of 3 adjective

ˈleft 

1

: of, relating to, or being the side of the body in which the heart is mostly located

the left leg

2

: located nearer to the left side of the body than to the right

the left arm of a chair

left adverb

left

2 of 3 noun

1

: the left side or the part on the left side

2

: the members of a European legislative body sitting to the left of the presiding officer and holding more radical views than other members

3

capitalized : political liberals or radicals

also : their beliefs

left

3 of 3

past and past participle of leave

Medical Definition

left

adjective

ˈleft 

: of, relating to, or being the side of the body in which the heart is mostly located

also : located nearer to this side than to the right