diestro

Old Spanish

Etymology

From Latin dextrum (“right, right-hand”). Cognate with Old Galician-Portuguese destro.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈdjestɾo/

Adjective

diestro (feminine singular diestra, masculine plural diestros, feminine plural diestros)

1. right, right-hand (direction)
   • c. 1250, Alfonso X, Lapidario, f. 97v:

     […] Et q̃ deſcẽda ſobreſta piedra la uertud de om̃e q̃ tẽga en la mano dieſtra lança ⁊ en la ſinieſtra un af traſtornada.

     […] And may over this stone descend the virtue of the man with a spear in his right hand and an upturned bird on his left.

Antonyms

• siniestro

Descendants

• Spanish: diestro, diestra

Spanish

Etymology

Inherited from Old Spanish diestro, from Latin dextrum (“right”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdjestɾo/ [ˈd̪jes.t̪ɾo]
• Rhymes: -estɾo
• Syllabification: dies‧tro

Adjective

diestro (feminine diestra, masculine plural diestros, feminine plural diestras)

1. right, right-hand (direction)

   Synonym: derecho

   Antonyms: izquierdo, siniestro

2. right-handed

   Antonym: zurdo

3. skillful, dexterous, adroit

   Synonyms: hábil, habiloso

4. (heraldry) dexter, dextral

Derived terms

• a diestro y siniestro
• destreza
• diestramente

 

Related terms

• ambidiestro / ambidextro

Noun

diestro m (plural diestros)

1. righty, a right-handed person
2. (bullfighting) bullfighter

   Synonyms: matador, torero

Further reading

• “diestro”, in Diccionario de la lengua española (in Spanish), online version 23.7, Royal Spanish Academy, 2023 November 28