sinister
[ sin-uh-ster ]
/ ˈsɪn ə stər /
adjective
threatening or portending evil, harm, or trouble; ominous: a sinister remark.
bad, evil, base, or wicked; fell: his sinister purposes.
unfortunate; disastrous; unfavorable: a sinister accident.
of or on the left side; left.
Heraldry.
noting the side of an escutcheon or achievement of arms that is to the left of the bearer (opposed to dexter).
Origin of sinister
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin: on the left hand or side, hence unfavorable, injurious
SYNONYMS FOR sinister
3
unlucky.
OTHER WORDS FROM sinister
Words nearby sinister
sinicism,
sinicize,
sinify,
sinigrin,
sining,
sinister,
sinistrad,
sinistral,
sinistrality,
sinistration,
sinistro-
Example sentences from the Web for sinister
British Dictionary definitions for sinister
sinister
/ (ˈsɪnɪstə) /
adjective
threatening or suggesting evil or harm; ominous
a sinister glance
evil or treacherous, esp in a mysterious way
(usually postpositive) heraldry
of, on, or starting from the left side from the bearer's point of view and therefore on the spectator's right
archaic
located on the left side
archaic
(of signs, omens, etc) unfavourable
Compare
dexter 1
Derived forms of sinister
sinisterly, adverb sinisterness, nounWord Origin for sinister
C15: from Latin
sinister on the left-hand side, considered by Roman augurs to be the unlucky one
Medical definitions for sinister
sinister
[ sĭn′ĭ-stər ]
adj.
Presaging trouble; ominous.
On the left side; left.