right-handed

adjective

right-hand·​ed ˈrīt-ˈhan-dəd How to pronounce right-handed (audio)
1
: using the right hand habitually or more easily than the left
also : swinging from right to left
a right-handed batter
2
: relating to, designed for, or done with the right hand
3
a
: having the same direction or course as the movement of the hands of a watch viewed from in front : clockwise
b
: having a spiral structure or form that ascends or advances to the right
a right-handed screw
4
of a door : opening to the right away from one
right-handed adverb
right-handedly adverb
right-handedness noun

Examples of right-handed in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The materials that have the same type of composition but are prebiotic, are not used in life processes, are right-handed. Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Nov. 2023 Shawn played minor league baseball Shawn, a right-handed pitcher, was first drafted in the minor leagues in 1987 by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Ale Russian, Peoplemag, 6 Nov. 2023 Pham, a right-handed hitter, didn’t fit the criteria. Jorge Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2023 Sutherland and his group had previously shown that analogs of right-handed transfer RNA molecules — which bind amino acids and bring them to the ribosome to make proteins — link to left-handed amino acids 10 times faster than to right-handed ones. Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 6 Sep. 2023 This backpack leaf blower is designed to be used by someone right-handed, and since the tube is attached on the right side of the backpack, there’s no way to change the orientation. Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2023 On July 18, in the second inning of a scoreless game against the Baltimore Orioles, Jason Heyward squared up a low fastball from right-handed starter Tyler Wells. Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2023 With a plus curveball and a fastball that can touch 97 mph, Flaherty would present Hyde an arm to go multiple innings as well as one to get right-handed batters out. Jacob Calvin Meyer, Baltimore Sun, 20 Sep. 2023 In days past, sailors used steering oars to control boats, and since most people are right-handed, the oars were placed on the right side of the boat. Stefanie Waldek, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'right-handed.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of right-handed was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near right-handed

Cite this Entry

“Right-handed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/right-handed. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

right-handed

adjective
right-hand·​ed
ˈrīt-ˈhan-dəd
1
: using the right hand more easily than the left
2
: done or made with or for the right hand
3
: having or moving with a clockwise turn or twist
right-handedly adverb
or right-handed
right-handedness noun
right-hander
-ˈhan-dər
noun

Medical Definition

right-handed

adjective
right-hand·​ed -ˈhan-dəd How to pronounce right-handed (audio)
1
: using the right hand habitually or more easily than the left
2
: relating to, designed for, or done with the right hand
3
: having the same direction or course as the movement of the hands of a watch viewed from in front
4
right-handed adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on right-handed

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