Where does “dexterity” come from?
Dexterity comes from Middle French dextérité, from Latin dexteritas, from Latin dexter meaning "right-handed," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European deḱs-.
dexterity (English): Skill in performing tasks, especially with the...
Definitions
- Skill in performing tasks, especially with the...
Ancestry of “dexterity”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | dextérité | — |
| 2 | Latin | dexteritas | dexterity, aptness, readiness; prosperity,... |
| 3 | Latin | dexter | right (relative direction), right hand |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | deksteros | right side, direction |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | deḱs(i)-tero- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | deḱs- | right |