sinister
English
/ˈsɪnɪstə/, /ˈsɪnɪstɚ/
adj
Definitions
- Inauspicious, ominous, unlucky, illegitimate (as in bar sinister).
- Evil or seemingly evil; indicating lurking danger or harm.
- Of the left side.
- (heraldry) On the left side of a shield from the wearer's standpoint, and the right side to the viewer.
- (obsolete) Wrong, as springing from indirection or obliquity; perverse; dishonest.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English sinistre (unlucky) derived from Old French sinistra (left) derived from Latin sinestra (left hand).
Origin
Latin
sinestra
Gloss
left hand
Concept
Semantic Field
The body
Ontological Category
Person/Thing
Emoji
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- -ous English
- ambi- English
- ambisinister English
- ambisinistrous English
- sinisterism English
- sinisterly English
- sinisterness English
- sinisterwise English
- sinistrous English
- sinistrously English
- unsinister English
- sinestra Latin
- sinistre Middle English
- sinistra Old French