dexter, tĕra, tĕrum, and more freq. tra, trum (dat. plur. fem.: dextrabus manibus, Liv. Andron. ap. Non. 493, 20.—Comp. dextĕrĭor; sup. dextĭmus), adj. [dex-ter, root dek-, Gr. δέκομαι, whence δάκτυλος, digitus; cf. Germ. Finger, from fangen; cf. also Sanscr. dakshinas, on the right hand, and Gr. δεξ-ιός], to the right, on the right side, right (opp. laevus, sinister).
I Prop.: ut ante oculos fuerit qui dexter hic idem nunc sit laevus, Lucr. 4, 302: manus, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 49; 50; id. Capt. 2, 3, 82; Cic. Div. 1, 23, 46: pars membrorum (opp. laeva), Lucr. 4, 293: umeri, Caes. B. G. 7, 50, 2: latus, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 6; Ov. M. 13, 730 et saep.: cornu, Ter. Eun. 775; Caes. B. G. 1, 52, 2; 2, 23, 4 et saep.: ala, Liv. 31, 21: acies, id. 27, 48 et saep.: dextrarum tibiarum genus est, quae dextra tenentur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 74, 5 Müll. et saep.: dextra ejus (fluminis) accolunt Deximontani, Plin. 6, 23, 26, § 99.— Comp. in signification = dexter, but spoken of two only: in dexteriore parte, opp. sinisteriore, Varr. L. L. 9, § 34 Müll.; so, pars, opp. laeva, Ov. M. 7, 241: rota, opp. sinisterior, id. ib. 2, 138: armus, id. ib. 12, 303: umerus, Suet. Claud. 7: latus, id. Galb. 21: cornu, Galba ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 30, 3 et saep.— Sup. : dextimus, a, um, an ancient and rare form, in signif. i. q. dexter: dextima via, Varr. ap. Non. 94, 30: apud dextimos, Sall. J. 100, 2.—
II Trop. (perh. not in ante-Aug. prose).
1 Handy, dexterous, skilful; opportune, proper, suitable, fitting : rem ita dexter egit, ut, etc., Liv. 8, 36: et Marius scriptis dexter in omne genus, Ov. P. 4, 16, 24: quis rebus dexter modus, Verg. A. 4, 294: tempus, Hor. S. 2, 1, 18.—
2 (Since the Greeks regarded an omen on the right as favorable) favorable, propitious, fortunate: dextra auspicia prospera, Paul. ex Fest. p. 74, 4 Müll.; cf. omen, Val. Fl. 1, 245: dexter adi, Verg. A. 8, 302; cf.: dexter ac volens assit (numen), Quint. 4 prooem. 5: Jove, Pers. 5, 114: sidere, Stat. S. 3, 4, 63 et saep.—Hence,