dextral Definition
- 1of or on the right-hand side; right-handed
- 2moving or rotating clockwise
Using dextral: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "dextral" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The majority of people are dextral.
Example
The screw is dextral, so turn it to the right to tighten it.
Example
The hurricane's dextral rotation caused widespread damage.
Example
The dextral movement of the gears made the machine run smoothly.
dextral Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for dextral
- clockwise
- right-handed
- right-side
Antonyms for dextral
- counterclockwise
- left-handed
- left-side
Phrases with dextral
the condition where the right side of an organism is structurally and functionally different from the left side
Example
Dextral asymmetry is common in snails, where the shell spirals to the right.
a type of fault where the two sides move horizontally past each other, with the right side moving forward relative to the left side
Example
The San Andreas Fault is a dextral strike-slip fault.
Example
The majority of gastropods are dextral.
Origins of dextral
from Latin 'dexter', meaning 'right'
Summary: dextral in Brief
'Dextral' [dek-struhl] refers to being on or of the right-hand side, such as in 'The majority of people are dextral.' It can also describe movement or rotation that is clockwise, as in 'The hurricane's dextral rotation caused widespread damage.' The term extends into phrases like 'dextral asymmetry,' which describes structural differences between the right and left sides of an organism.
