1520s, from Middle French dexterité (16c.), from Latin dexteritatem (nominative dexteritas) "readiness, skillfulness, prosperity," from dexter "skillful," also "right (hand)" (source of Old French destre, Spanish diestro, etc.), from PIE root *deks- "on the right hand," hence "south" to one facing east (cognates: Sanskrit daksinah "on the right hand, southern, skillful;" Avestan dashina- "on the right hand;" Greek dexios "on the right hand," also "fortunate, clever;" Old Irish dess "on the right hand, southern;" Welsh deheu; Gaulish Dexsiva, name of a goddess of fortune; Gothic taihswa; Lithuanian desinas; Old Church Slavonic desnu, Russian desnoj). The Latin form is with the comparative suffix -ter, thus meaning etymologically "the better direction." Middle English dester meant "right hand," and in heraldry dexter means "on the right side."
双语例句
1. His manual dexterity and fine spatial skills were wasted on routine tasks.
他灵巧的动手能力和杰出的空间识别能力都浪费在日常事务上了。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Wayne has great verbal dexterity.
韦恩的语言表达能力很强。
来自柯林斯例句
3. You need manual dexterity to be good at video games.
玩好电子游戏手要灵巧。
来自《权威词典》
4. Few can equal [ compare with ] her in manual dexterity.