sinistral

/sɪˈnɪstrəl/

relating to the left side

The patient had a sinistral stroke affecting the right side of the body.

This means the stroke occurred in the left hemisphere of the brain.

Medicine

technical

Relating to or situated on the left side of the body or an object.

The doctor noted the sinistral orientation of the patient's heart murmur.

The heart murmur was more pronounced on the left side of the chest.

Often used in medical and anatomical contexts to describe asymmetry or lateralization.

technical

In botany, describing the arrangement of leaves or flowers that spiral counterclockwise.

The plant exhibited sinistral phyllotaxis, with leaves spiraling to the left.

The leaves grew in a counterclockwise pattern around the stem.

Contrasts with 'dextral,' which describes a clockwise spiral.

Collocations

sinistral deviationa shift or bias toward the left sidesinistral dominancepreference for using the left hand or side

the condition of being left-sided

In medicine, 'sinistral' often refers to the left hemisphere of the brain or left side of the body.

This term is highly specialized; use 'left-sided' in general contexts.

From Latin 'sinister' (left) + '-al' (relational suffix).

Primarily used in scientific and medical contexts to describe lateralization or asymmetry.

sinistr-

left

root

-al

relating to

suffix

English Dictionary