Make Your Point, Jr. > Words in ABC Order > dextrous

Study the word DEXTROUS: (Source) In Latin, the word dexter meant both "the right hand" and "skillful," probably because most people are right-handed (or skilled with using their right hand, not their left hand). (Source) That Latin word dexter gave us our English words "dexterity" and "dextrous" (also spelled "dexterous," with the extra E in the middle). If you have dexterity, you have the ability to work very skillfully with your hands or body. And if your mind has dexterity, then you're able to think or act in a quick, clever, skillful way. So, if you're dextrous, or if you have dextrous hands or a dextrous mind, you're quick, clever, and skillful as you use your hands, your body, or your mind. (Source) I always admired my mom's dexterity on the piano. Her dextrous hands seemed to move with ease and grace. In fact, most musical instruments require dexterity. Here's Lindsey Sterling, a dextrous violinist—and a dextrous dancer! (Source) You'll need dextrous hands, dextrous movements, and dextrous control if you want to perform surgery, draw on eyeliner, pick up rice with chopsticks, or create a beautiful braid. (Source) And you'll need to be a dextrous thinker and a dextrous problem-solver if you want to solve a Rubik's cube, or win a chess game, or resolve a crisis, or smooth over an awkward situation. (Source)    What's up with the two spellings: DEXTROUS and DEXTEROUS? Sometimes, new spellings arise after a lot of people misspell a word in the same way; this "incorrect" spelling tends to catch on, eventually entering dictionaries and becoming "correct." "Dextrous" is the older spelling, the one that's closer to its Latin origins; "dexterous" is the newer spelling, which probably started out as a mistake, then got pretty popular in the nineteeth century. (Maybe people spelled it "dexterous" because it more closely matches the noun form, "dexterity," or because it's just easier to say it with three syllables, "dex-ter-ous," rather than two, "dex-trous.") But you can use either spelling! I like to stick with "dextrous" because it matches similar-looking words. Let me show you... This noun... drops the last E... to become this adjective... monster monstr... monstrous disaster disastr... disastrous luster lustr... lustrous dexter dextr... dextrous    Lastly, let's glimpse some cool words closely related to DEXTROUS: If you happen to be very skilled with both your right hand and your left hand, then you're ambidextrous. Lucky you! That prefix "ambi-" can mean "around, all around, or on both sides," and in this case it means "on both sides." It's like you have a dominant hand on both sides of your body. (Source) Okay, now, remember how the Latin word for "right, or right hand" is dexter? The exact opposite in Latin, "left, or left hand," is sinister. (In English, though "sinister" doesn't mean "the left hand;" it means "sneaky and evil"!) So, what if you're skilled with neither of your hands? What if it seems like you have two "left" hands? In that case, you're ambisinistrous. Check out this poor ambisinistrous lady. Of course, she's an actress just hamming it up for the camera. But it's like she can't work either of her hands! (Source)   Make a flash card: You can write your own definition and choose your own picture, or copy mine. Term Definition Picture dextrous able to work quickly and well with your hands or your mind   Write your own sentence! You can use either of the two ideas I'll suggest, or you can invent your own. Include as much detail as you can! (Source)   Write a sentence with the word DEXTROUS or DEXTERITY: Remember: when you have dexterity, you have quick, nimble fingers that know exactly what to do—or, a quick, nimble mind that knows exactly what to do. Idea 1: "With dextrous movements, (someone) (cooks or bakes something, draws or paints something, or cleans or repairs something)." Idea 2: "It takes a lot of dexterity to (do something difficult); don't get frustrated if at first you keep (making some kind of mistake)." You can type in here. When you're done, copy and paste your sentence wherever you'd like it to go.