Meanings
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1
adj
heraldry: on or toward the bearer's right side of a shield, which appears on the viewer's left
The blazon placed a gold bend in the dexter base of the shield.
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2
noun
the right-hand side of a heraldic shield, building, diagram, or other object
The lion occupied the dexter while the tower stood on the sinister.
Thesaurus
Etymology
A learned borrowing from Latin dexter, 'right' or 'on the right side.' Heraldry preserves this spatial meaning: dexter is the shield bearer's right, opposite sinister.