dexter

See also: Dexter

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dexter, from Proto-Indo-European *deḱs(i)-tero-, from *deḱs- (“right”) (Pokorny, Watkins, 1969; et al.). Compare Homeric Greek δεξιτερός (dexiterós, “right hand”), δεξιός (dexiós, “right”), Old Church Slavonic деснъ (desnŭ, “right”).

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈdɛkstə/

Adjective

dexter (not comparable)

  1. Right; on the right-hand side.
    • 1887, George William Foote; J. M. Wheeler, Crimes of Christianity, London: Progressive Publishing:
      Displaying his dexter palm, he exclaimed that there was a hand that never took a bribe; whereupon a smart auditor cried "How about the one behind your back?"
    • 1911, Saki, ‘The Match-Maker’, The Chronicles of Clovis:
      Clovis wiped the trace of Turkish coffee and the beginnings of a smile from his lips, and slowly lowered his dexter eyelid.

Translations

Noun

dexter (plural dexters)

  1. (heraldry) The right side of a shield from the wearer's standpoint, and the left side to the viewer.
  2. The right hand.

Translations

See also

Latin

Alternative forms
  • dester (Vulgar or Late Latin, Pompeian inscriptions)

Etymology

From Proto-Italic *deksteros, from Proto-Indo-European *deḱs(i)-tero-, from *deḱs- (“right”). Cognates include Ancient Greek δεξιός (dexiós), Old High German zesawa "right hand", "right hand side" and Sanskrit दक्षिण (dákṣiṇa).

Pronunciation
  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈdek.ster/, [ˈdɛk.stɛr]

Adjective

dexter (feminine dextra or dextera, neuter dextrum or dexterum); first/second declension

  1. right (relative direction), right hand
    Antonyms: laevus, scaevus, sinister
  2. skillful
  3. fortunate, favorable
  4. proper, fitting

Inflection
First/second declension, nominative masculine singular in -er.
Number Singular Plural
Case / Gender Masculine Feminine Neuter Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative dexter dextra dextrum dextrī dextrae dextra
Genitive dextrī dextrae dextrī dextrōrum dextrārum dextrōrum
Dative dextrō dextrae dextrō dextrīs dextrīs dextrīs
Accusative dextrum dextram dextrum dextrōs dextrās dextra
Ablative dextrō dextrā dextrō dextrīs dextrīs dextrīs
Vocative dexter dextra dextrum dextrī dextrae dextra
 First/second declension, nominative masculine singular in -er.
Number Singular Plural
Case / Gender Masculine Feminine Neuter Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative dexter dextera dexterum dexterī dexterae dextera
Genitive dexterī dexterae dexterī dexterōrum dexterārum dexterōrum
Dative dexterō dexterae dexterō dexterīs dexterīs dexterīs
Accusative dexterum dexteram dexterum dexterōs dexterās dextera
Ablative dexterō dexterā dexterō dexterīs dexterīs dexterīs
Vocative dexter dextera dexterum dexterī dexterae dextera

Derived terms

Descendants

References
  • dexter in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • dexter in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • dexter in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
  • Carl Meissner; Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎, London: Macmillan and Co.
    • (ambiguous) to give one's hand to some one: manum (dextram) alicui porrigere
    • (ambiguous) to give one's right hand to some one: dextram alicui porrigere, dare
    • (ambiguous) to shake hands with a person: dextram iungere cum aliquo, dextras inter se iungere
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