ambidextrous
/ˌæm.biˈdɛk.stɹəs/
"ambidextrous" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“ambidextrous” is uncommon English (frequency #60,618 among 35,202 “A” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- #60,618
- frequency rank, English
- 35,202
- “A” headwords
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having equal or comparable ability in both hands; in particular, able to write well with both hands.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | ambidextrous |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /ˌæm.biˈdɛk.stɹəs/ |
| Letters | 12 |
| Frequency rank | #60,618 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “ambidextrous” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
ambidextrous is uncommon English at frequency #60,618 among 35,202 “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
- 1Having equal or comparable ability in both hands; in particular, able to write well with both hands.
- 2Equally usable by left-handed and right-handed people (as a tool or instrument).
- 3Practising or siding with both parties.
- 4Of a person, bisexual.
- 5Exceptionally skillful; adept in more than one medium, genre, style, etc.
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
Antonyms
This word in other languages
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
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Using “ambidextrous”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is A-M-B-I-D-E-X-T-R-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌæm.biˈdɛk.stɹəs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Other uncommon English words near this rank
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.