ambidexterity means the property of being equally skillful with each hand. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 85 out of 100.
Why “ambidexterity” is a great word
AMBIDEXTERITY — [Noun] The property of being equally skillful with each hand, or, by extension, superior cleverness or adaptability in dual roles. From Medieval Latin 'ambidexter' ("using both hands normally"), from Latin 'ambi-' ("both") + 'dexter' ("right, skillful") + the English suffix '-ity' (forming nouns of state or quality). First recorded in English in the mid-17th century. Unlike "ambidextrous" (which describes a person) or "versatility" (which suggests a broad generalism), ambidexterity denotes the abstract quality itself—a poised equilibrium of capability. It is the surgeon suturing flawlessly with either hand, the spy maintaining two lives without a slip, and the negotiator arguing both sides of a case with equal, unsettling conviction. It is the quiet triumph over one’s own symmetry, a state of readiness that leaves no flank unguarded.
noun
- The property of being equally skillful with each hand.
- Superior cleverness or adaptability.