word-forming element meaning "toward or on the right-hand side," from combining form of Latin dexter (from PIE root *deks- "right, opposite of left; south").
Entries linking to dextro-
*deks-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "right, opposite left," hence "south" (from the viewpoint of one facing east).
It forms all or part of: ambidexterity; ambidextrous; deasil; destrier; Dexter; dexterity; dexterous; dextro-.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit daksinah "on the right hand, southern, skillful;" Avestan dashina- "on the right hand;" Greek dexios "on the right hand," also "fortunate, clever;" Latin dexter "skillful," also "right (hand);" Old Irish dess "on the right hand, southern;" Welsh deheu; Gaulish Dexsiva, name of a goddess of fortune; Gothic taihswa; Lithuanian dešinas; Old Church Slavonic desnu, Russian desnoj.
Dexedrine n.
1942, trademark (Smith, Kline and French Laboratories) for dexamphetamine sulphate, probably from dextro- + chemical ending from Benzedrine, etc.
dextrose n.
sugar belonging to the glucose group, 1867, shortened from dextro-glucose, from dextro- "right" + -ose (2), chemical suffix indicating a sugar. So called because this form of glucose polarizes light to the right in spectroscopy.