Skip to main content
handedness

handedness

3 4.9
A natural preference for using one hand more than the other
  • noun
  • /ˈhændɪdnəs/
  • Specialized
: lateralidad
  • They have what's known as a handedness or chirality.
  • left-handedness
  • right-handedness
  • handedness and dominance

This is like, this is their right handedness, where for some of us, we go through that process.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • Recent anecdotal findings suggest a correlation between the handedness of the patient and the side of bleeding.

    Academic text (2008)
  • This is like, this is their right handedness, where for some of us, we go through that process.

  • There were not enough left-handed students for handedness to be a factor in the comparison.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Each participant who was blind was matched for age, sex, handedness, and educational level to two sighted participants in the control group.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Preference and non-preference may be demonstrated with left-handedness and right-handedness.

    Academic text (2004)
  • Many children show a clear preference for handedness when they begin to write with one hand more often than the other.

  • Understanding a child's handedness can help educators create more effective learning environments.

  • Research has shown that handedness is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors.

Synonyms

strong side
vshandedness
1 3.5

The side of the body that is stronger or more coordinated

emphasizes skillful hand use rather than raw strength or power of a side
dominance
vshandedness
  • Specialized
1 5.6

One side of the body is stronger and used more than the other

focuses specifically on skilled or frequent use of one hand rather than general development
laterality
vshandedness
  • Specialized
1 9.4

A natural preference for one side of the body, like being right- or left-handed

is a narrower preference for skilled use of one hand rather than wide specialization
one-handedness
vshandedness
1 7.0

A way of using one hand more than the other, often with skill

is the general tendency to prefer one hand rather than a named condition
sidedness
vshandedness
  • Specialized
1 7.7

A preference for using one side of the body, for example one hand

is specific to fine motor skill preference for a single hand rather than any side

Antonyms

Ability to use both hands equally well

Compounds

A habit of using the left hand instead of the right for tasks like writing and eating

Being too forceful and not subtle in actions or words

A preference for using the right hand for tasks like writing

A way of using one hand more than the other, often with skill

How Dominant

dominance
  • Specialized
1 5.6
handedness
  • Specialized
3 4.9

Surface Forms

handedness singular
handednesses plural

Morphology

handedness = handed (transparent) = hand + ed + ness

The noun is a regular derivation from the adjective 'handed' using -ness, and 'handed' itself is a regular adjectival formation from 'hand'.

Etymology

The word handedness comes from the simple word hand ('the part of the body you use to hold things and write') plus the ending -ness ('a state or quality'). So, it names the habit of using one hand more than the other.