Southpaw
/ˈsaʊθ.pɔː/noun
A left-handed person, especially a left-handed boxer or pitcher.
Did you know?Southpaw is an American English slang term first used in the 19th century, and its exact origin is uncertain, but it was popularized in sporting culture rather than coming from any ancient occult or classical root.
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
English
southpaw
“American slang for a left-handed person, especially in sports”
19th Century
English
south
“The direction opposite north”
Old English
OE
sūþ
“The direction south”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sunþaz
“South, the direction of the midday sun”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sóh₂wl̥
“Sun”