What does "ambidextrous" mean?
Having equal or comparable ability in both hands; in particular, able to write well with both hands.
Ambidextrous
/ˌæm.bɪˈdɛk.stɹəs/ adj
adj ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Having equal or comparable ability in both hands; in particular, able to write well with both hands.
- Grammar: ambidextrous is listed as adj.
- Nearest alternatives: adaptable, adjustable, all around, all-around.
- Useful contrasts: ambilevous, ambisinistrous, monodextrous.
- Usage evidence: Half of his class can write with both hands; they're ambidextrous.
How to use "ambidextrous"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ambidextrous" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ambidextrous" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ambidextrous" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "ambidextrous" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ambidextrous" is acting as adj in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "adaptable" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "ambidextrous", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Having equal or comparable ability in both hands; in particular, able to write well with both hands.
"Some are […]ambidextrous or right-handed on both sides; which happeneth only unto strong and athletical bodies, whose heat and spirits are able to afford an ability unto both."
- 2 Equally usable by left-handed and right-handed people (as a tool or instrument).
- 3 Practising or siding with both parties. archaic
"All False, Shuffling, and Ambidextrous Dealings."
- 4 Of a person, bisexual. humorous
- 5 Exceptionally skillful; adept in more than one medium, genre, style, etc.
"Michelangelo was a very ambidextrous artist, producing sculptures and frescoes with equal ability."
Adjective
- 1 marked by deliberate deceptiveness especially by pretending one set of feelings and acting under the influence of another wordnet
- 2 equally skillful with each hand wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Half of his class can write with both hands; they're ambidextrous."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ambidextrous"?
Common synonyms include: adaptable, adjustable, all around, all-around, ambidexter, ambidextral.
How do you use "ambidextrous" in a sentence?
Half of his class can write with both hands; they're ambidextrous.
How do you pronounce "ambidextrous"?
Pronounced /ˌæm.bɪˈdɛk.stɹəs/.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin ambidexter + -ous, the former from ambi- (“both”) + dexter (“right”), thus literally “both hands being like a right hand”. The Latin word is first attested in the Vetus Latina, calquing Ancient Greek ἀμφοτεροδέξιος (amphoterodéxios) in Judges 3:15 after the Septuagint, itself translating Hebrew אִטֵּר יַד יְמִינוֹ (iṭṭēr yaḏ yəmīnō, literally “bound in his right hand”). This phrase is now generally translated as “left-handed”; the Septuagint translation is either from a variant reading or from a different interpretation.