sinister English · revision 15

+ ==Etymology==

+ Recorded from the early 15th century;^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) the OED's earliest quotation is from 1411.^(OED 1989) From [[enm|sinistre|t=unfavourable, unlucky]],^(AHD)^(Wiktionary) [[bor|fro|senestre]], ''sinistre'' “left; contrary, unfavourable”,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) [[der|la|sinister|t=on the left side; unlucky, inauspicious]],^(MW Collegiate)^(AHD) a word of uncertain origin.^(Etymonline)

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+ The “unlucky” sense comes from augury: omens, especially bird flights, seen on the left were taken to portend misfortune.^(Etymonline) Compare [[dexter]].^(Etymonline)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}