handedness

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *handuz Proto-West Germanic *handu Old English hand Middle English hond English hand English -ed English handed Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English handedness From handed + -ness.

1. The property that distinguishes an asymmetric object from its mirror image. For example, the essential difference between a left and right glove.
2. A preference (usually innate) for using one hand rather than the other.