ambidextrous

/ˌæm.biˈdɛk.stɹəs/

//ˌæm.biˈdɛk.stɹəs// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"ambidextrous" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“ambidextrous” is uncommon English (frequency #60,618 among 3,931 “A” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#60,618
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Having equal or comparable ability in both hands; in particular, able to write well with both hands.

Corpus desk

Index EN-ambidextrous · ambidextrous · English

ambidextrous · rank #60,618 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #60,618
  • LEN-MEGA 12 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH Ambani

Nearest frequency peer: Ambani (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “ambidextrous”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “ambidextrous” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for ambidextrous
PropertyValue
Headwordambidextrous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌæm.biˈdɛk.stɹəs/
Letters12
Frequency rank#60,618
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “ambidextrous” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).ambidextrousfalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Rare peers in the same band: “Ambani” (#60,617), “Amundsen” (#60,619), “amaranth” (#60,615). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “ambidextrous” is #60,618. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

ambidextrous is uncommon English at frequency #60,618 among 3,931 “A” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌæm.biˈdɛk.stɹəs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for ambidextrous, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Medieval Latin ambidexter + -ous, the former from ambi- (“both”) + dexter (“right”), thus literally “both hands being like a right hand”. The Latin word is first attested in the Vetus Latina, calquing Ancient Greek ἀμφοτεροδέξιος (amphoterodéxios) in J… The correct English form is ambidextrous, spelled A-M-B-I-D-E-X-T-R-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Having equal or comparable ability in both hands; in particular, able to write well with both hands.
  2. 2
    Equally usable by left-handed and right-handed people (as a tool or instrument).
  3. 3
    Practising or siding with both parties.
  4. 4
    Of a person, bisexual.
  5. 5
    Exceptionally skillful; adept in more than one medium, genre, style, etc.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how ambidextrous appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Some are […]ambidextrous or right-handed on both sides; which happeneth only unto strong and athletical bodies, whose heat and spirits are able to afford an ability unto both.
  2. All False, Shuffling, and Ambidextrous Dealings.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin ambidexter + -ous, the former from ambi- (“both”) + dexter (“right”), thus literally “both hands being like a right hand”. The Latin word is first attested in the Vetus Latina, calquing Ancient Greek ἀμφοτεροδέξιος (amphoterodéxios) in Judges 3:15 after the Septuagint, itself translating Hebrew אִטֵּר יַד יְמִינוֹ (iṭṭēr yaḏ yəmīnō, literally “bound in his right hand”). This phrase is now generally translated as “left-handed”; the Septuagint translation is either from a variant reading or from a different interpretation.

Synonyms

both-handedeither-handed

Antonyms

ambilevousambisinistrous

This word in other languages

ambidextro(Español)ambidextre(Français)beidhändig(Deutsch)ambidestro(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "ambidextrous"?
"ambidextrous" is spelled A-M-B-I-D-E-X-T-R-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌæm.biˈdɛk.stɹəs/.
What does "ambidextrous" mean?
As an adjective, "ambidextrous" means: Having equal or comparable ability in both hands; in particular, able to write well with both hands.
How do you pronounce "ambidextrous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "ambidextrous" is /ˌæm.biˈdɛk.stɹəs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "ambidextrous"?
From Medieval Latin ambidexter + -ous, the former from ambi- (“both”) + dexter (“right”), thus literally “both hands being like a right hand”. The Latin word is first attested in the Vetus Latina, calquing Ancient Greek ἀμφοτεροδέξιος (amphoterodé... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "ambidextrous", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 12 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Aristophanes#60,627begrudgingly#60,649calisthenics#60,685unobtainable#60,541

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list