Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

left-handed

adjective
left-hand·​ed | \ ˈleft-ˈhan-dəd , ˈlef-ˈtan-\

Definition of left-handed

1 : using the left hand habitually or more easily than the right also : swinging from left to right a left-handed batter
2 : relating to, designed for, or done with the left hand
3 : morganatic
4a : clumsy, awkward
b : insincere, backhanded, dubious a left-handed compliment
5a : having a direction contrary to that of the hands of a watch viewed from in front : counterclockwise
b : having a spiral structure or form that ascends or advances to the left a left-handed rope
6 : having or being the L-form molecular structure
Other Words from left-handed Synonyms & Antonyms Learn More about left-handed

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from left-handed

left-handed adverb
left-handedly adverb
left-handedness noun

First Known Use of left-handed

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about left-handed

Share left-handed

Statistics for left-handed

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for left-handed

The first known use of left-handed was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for left-handed

left-handed

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of left-handed

: using the left hand more easily than the right hand
: made for the left hand
: using or done with the left hand

See the full definition for left-handed in the English Language Learners Dictionary

left-handed

adjective
left-hand·​ed | \ ˈleft-ˈhan-dəd\

Kids Definition of left-handed

1 : using the left hand better or more easily than the right a left-handed person
2 : done or made with or for the left hand a left-handed pitch a left-handed glove

left-handed

adjective
left-hand·​ed | \ ˈleft-ˈhan-dəd, ˈlef-ˈtan- \

Medical Definition of left-handed

1 : using the left hand habitually or more easily than the right
2 : relating to, designed for, or done with the left hand
3 : having a direction contrary to that of movement of the hands of a watch viewed from in front
4 : levorotatory

Other Words from left-handed

left-handed adverb

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on left-handed

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with left-handed

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for left-handed

Spanish Central: Translation of left-handed

Nglish: Translation of left-handed for Spanish Speakers

Comments on left-handed

What made you want to look up left-handed? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

gibbous

irregularly rounded

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

What did you just call me?! A Quiz

  • rows-of-various-emoji
  • If a member of the audience describes your speech as bombastic, does that person mean it is:
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

TRENDING NOW

  1. feckless Former RNC chair derides Trump

  2. emergency, national emergency Trump declares crisis over wall

  3. apoplectic Bezos writes post about Pecker

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games