kreilis

From Proto-Indo-European *sker-, *ker-, *kr̥- (“to turn, to bend”), changed to Proto-Baltic *krei-, with a suffix -r, giving rise to an adjective *kreiras > *kreilas (compare archaic adjective krails (“bent, crooked”)) and a noun *kreiris. The meaning evolved from “bent, crooked” to “not strong, clumsy, weaker, less good,” hence “left (hand),” as opposed to the “good,” “able” right hand, and then to “left-hander.” Cognates include Lithuanian kairỹs (“left-hander”) ( < *krairys).^[1]

• IPA^(key): [kɾēīlis]

• Audio:

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kreilis m (2nd declension, feminine form: kreile)

1. (male) left-hander, left-handed man (someone who is better with his left hand than with his right hand)

   kreiļi dod priekšroku kreisajai rokai un kājai ― left-handers give preference to (their) left hand and foot

• kreilība

• kreiss