ambidextrous的词源

英文词源

ambidextrous

ambidextrous: [16] Ambidextrous means literally ‘right-handed on both sides’. It was formed in Latin from the prefix ambi- ‘both’ and the adjective dexter ‘right-handed’ (source of English dextrous). Ambi- corresponds to the Latin adjective ambo ‘both’, which derived ultimately from the Indo-European base *amb- ‘around’ (an element in the source of ambassador and embassy).

The second element in Latin ambo seems to correspond to Old English ba ‘both’, which is related to modern English both. Other English words formed with the prefix amb(i)- include ambient [16] (which came, like ambition, from Latin ambīre ‘go round’), ambit [16] (from Latin ambitus ‘circuit’), ambiguous, ambition, amble, and ambulance.
=> dextrous

ambidextrous (adj.)

1640s, with -ous, from ambidexter (adj.) "double-dealing" (1610s), from French ambidextre or directly from Latin ambidexter, literally "right-handed on both sides," from ambi- "both" (see ambi-) + dexter "right-handed" (see dexterity). Its opposite, ambilevous "left-handed on both sides, clumsy" (1640s) is rare. Ambidexter as a noun, "one who takes bribes from both sides," is attested from 1530s and is the earliest form of the word in English; its sense of "one who uses both hands equally well" appears by 1590s.

中文词源

ambidextrous：双手灵巧的

发音释义：[,æmbɪ'dekstrəs] adj. 双手灵巧的，左右逢源的，两面派的

结构分析：ambidextrous = ambi（全都）+ dextr（灵巧的）+ous（形容词后缀）→（双手）全都灵巧的

词源解释：ambi←拉丁语ambi（四处、周围）；dextr←拉丁语dexter（右手的、灵巧的）

背景知识：古代人认为右手比较灵活，所以dexter一词既表示“右手的”又表示“灵活的”。right（正确的）一词的本意也是“右手的”。

同源词：ambiguous（模棱两可的），dexterous（灵巧的），dexterity（灵巧）

衍生词：ambidexterity（双手俱灵巧、两面派手法）

该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：ambidextrous 词源，ambidextrous 含义。

ambidextrous：左右手都灵活的

前缀ambi-, 两边。词根dext, 右手，指灵活。