ἀριστερός
aristerós
G710 substantive adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
Belonging to or situated on the left side, especially in contrast to the right; used of the left hand or left side, generally as opposed to δεξιός ('right'). In some contexts, it can carry the connotation of being secondary, less favored, or inferior, based on Greco-Roman associations of right with favor and left with lesser status.
Semantic Range
left (as direction), left hand, left side, as opposed to right; second-best or less favored (by association)
Root / Etymology
From the root ἄριστος ('best') but formed with a comparative ending, possibly indicating 'the better [hand]' used euphemistically for 'left,' or derived from a pre-Greek substrate. The precise development is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Koine Greek, ἀριστερός is regularly used for 'left' (opposed to δεξιός, 'right'), especially as a reference to the hand or side. The term is often understood as a euphemism, substituting a positive-sounding word for what was culturally considered ominous or less favorable (cf. Latin 'sinister'). It appears in both the Septuagint and New Testament to denote the left side or left hand, without inherent moral or religious connotation but occasionally reflecting broader social attitudes about left versus right. English tradition uses 'left (hand)' as the standard translation, though the connotations in Greek may be milder or different than in some English idioms. The origin may also reflect a linguistic tendency to treat the left side with euphemism or periphrasis, as in other Indo-European languages. The word is not related to the Hebrew terminology for left in the Hebrew Bible, despite similar functional use in LXX renderings.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently a comparative of the same as ἄριστον; the left hand (as second-best):--left (hand).
Root Family
ἀριστερός (aristeros) — left, left-hand, on the left side
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G710-02 |
ἀριστερῶν | aristeron | ADJ.S GEN N PL |
left | of the left sides | left hands | 2 |
G710-01 |
ἀριστερά | aristera | ADJ.S NOM F SG |
left | the left side | left side | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G710-01 |
Matthew 6:3 | ἀριστερά | aristera | ADJ.S NOM F SG |
left | the left side | left side |
G710-02 |
Luke 23:33 | ἀριστερῶν | aristeron | ADJ.S GEN N PL |
left | of the left sides | the left |
G710-02 |
2 Corinthians 6:7 | ἀριστερῶν | aristeron | ADJ.S GEN N PL |
left hand | of the left sides | left hands |