FromMiddle Englishsinistre(“unlucky”), fromOld Frenchsenestre,sinistre(“left”), fromLatinsinister(“left hand”).[1]
enPR:sĭn′ĭ-stər
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enPR:sĭ-nĭ′stər
sinister (comparativemoresinister,superlativemostsinister)
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sinister (neutersinistert,plural and definite singular attributivesinistre)
| positive | comparative | superlative | |
|---|---|---|---|
| indefinite common singular | sinister | — | —2 |
| indefinite neuter singular | sinistert | — | —2 |
| plural | sinistre | — | —2 |
| definite attributive1 | sinistre | — | — |
1 When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
2 The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.
Borrowed fromLatinsinister, possibly viaMiddle Frenchsinistre.
sinister (comparativesinisterder,superlativesinisterst)
| Declension ofsinister | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| uninflected | sinister | |||
| inflected | sinistere | |||
| comparative | sinisterder | |||
| positive | comparative | superlative | ||
| predicative/adverbial | sinister | sinisterder | hetsinisterst hetsinisterste | |
| indefinite | m./f. sing. | sinistere | sinisterdere | sinisterste |
| n. sing. | sinister | sinisterder | sinisterste | |
| plural | sinistere | sinisterdere | sinisterste | |
| definite | sinistere | sinisterdere | sinisterste | |
| partitive | sinisters | sinisterders | — | |
sinister (strong nominative masculine singularsinisterer,comparativesinisterer,superlativeamsinistersten)
| number & gender | singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | feminine | neuter | |||
| predicative | eristsinister | sieistsinister | esistsinister | siesindsinister | |
| strong declension (without article) | nominative | sinisterer | sinistere | sinisteres | sinistere |
| genitive | sinisteren | sinisterer | sinisteren | sinisterer | |
| dative | sinisterem | sinisterer | sinisterem | sinisteren | |
| accusative | sinisteren | sinistere | sinisteres | sinistere | |
| weak declension (with definite article) | nominative | dersinistere | diesinistere | dassinistere | diesinisteren |
| genitive | dessinisteren | dersinisteren | dessinisteren | dersinisteren | |
| dative | demsinisteren | dersinisteren | demsinisteren | densinisteren | |
| accusative | densinisteren | diesinistere | dassinistere | diesinisteren | |
| mixed declension (with indefinite article) | nominative | einsinisterer | einesinistere | einsinisteres | (keine)sinisteren |
| genitive | einessinisteren | einersinisteren | einessinisteren | (keiner)sinisteren | |
| dative | einemsinisteren | einersinisteren | einemsinisteren | (keinen)sinisteren | |
| accusative | einensinisteren | einesinistere | einsinisteres | (keine)sinisteren | |
FromProto-Italic*senisteros, of unclear origin. Possibly a euphemism fromProto-Indo-European*senh₂-is-(“more obtaining”), from*senh₂-(“to seek, gain”) (thus the direction of "left" as "the more favorable (side)"), and cognate withSanskritसनोति(sanoti,“to gain, procure”),[1]सनीयान्(sanīyān,“more useful, more advantageous”).[2]
sinister (femininesinistra,neutersinistrum,comparativesinistrior,superlativesinistimus,adverbsinistrē);first/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in-er)
First/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in-er).
Reflexes of the late variantsinexter (influenced bydexter):
Borrowings:
