Left
/lɛft/noun
Relating to the side of the body or a direction opposite to right.
Did you know?In Latin, 'sinister' means 'left' and was historically associated with bad omens and misfortune, revealing a sinister legacy behind left-handedness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*snē-
“to turn or bend, suggesting a connection to directional orientation.”
Old English
Old English
left
“left, weak; symbolizing the side of the body associated with the less dominant hand.”
Middle English
Middle English
left
“the direction opposite to right, often carrying connotations of inferiority.”
14th Century
Latin
sinister
“left, but also carrying meanings of ill-omened and unfavorable.”
Modern English
English
left
“the side of the body that is opposite of right, retaining its historical associations.”