Definition

1. Noun:
   • A left-handed person: A person who naturally uses their left hand more skillfully or comfortably than their right hand for tasks like writing or throwing.
   • A left-handed pitcher: In baseball, a pitcher who throws the ball with the left hand.

Examples

• Noun:
  • As a lefty, he had to use special scissors in school.
  • The team signed a new lefty to strengthen their bullpen.

Advanced Usage

• Political Slang: In informal political contexts, particularly in the US and UK, "lefty" can be used as a noun or adjective to describe a person with left-wing, liberal, or socialist political views. This usage is often informal and can be derogatory depending on context.
  • The newspaper columnist is often critical of what he calls "the lefty agenda".

Variants and Related Words

• Left-hander (n): A more formal synonym for a left-handed person.
• Southpaw (n): A common informal synonym, especially for a left-handed pitcher in baseball.
• Left-handed (adj): Describing the trait of using the left hand more skillfully.

Synonyms

• Southpaw (n): Informal, especially for athletes.
• Left-hander (n): Neutral term.

Related Phrases

• A lefty loosey: A playful mnemonic for remembering the direction to turn a typical screw, nut, or bolt to loosen it ("lefty loosey, righty tighty").

Noun

1. a baseball pitcher who throws the ball with the left hand
2. a person who uses the left hand with greater skill than the right
   • their pitcher was a southpaw