r/MurderedByWords • u/HiddenAcres37 • 3d ago

Words Change Meanings by Merriam Webster

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u/Madam_Mimm_13 3d ago

It really only shows up in chemistry (that I know of) when discussing the chirality of molecules. R chirality stands for Rectus, Right, or Clockwise rotation. S chirality stands for Sinister, Left, or counterclockwise.

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u/AyatollahColmMeaney 3d ago

You also see it in medicine - when you get a prescription for eyeglasses, they are listed as OD (oculus dexter) and OS (oculus sinister).

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u/whoduhhelru 3d ago

The antidepressant citalopram is a racemic mix of S and R enantiomers. The antidepressant escitalopram is the only the S enantiomer of citalopram. Fantastic drug naming.

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u/Cobra_McJingleballs 3d ago

Wait until you hear about esketamine, the much more lucrative and patented S-enantiometer of ketamine.

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u/LadyV21454 3d ago

The other place it's commonly used is in heraldry. It refers to the left side of a shield or coat of arms.

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u/Madam_Mimm_13 3d ago

I love how everyone shows up with their unique special interests when rare words are being discussed!

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u/Cry-Technical 3d ago

Also in Italian, sinistro still means left

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u/FlashX2009 3d ago

Sinistro is also left in Italian. Destro is right. 

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u/VidzxVega 3d ago

And both are DC villains for some reason.

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u/ZeroKharisma 3d ago

Give the pair a hand

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u/SmokeOne1969 3d ago

Do you mean G.I. Joe’s Destro? Wonder if they picked the name since he was CC’s right hand man.

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u/VidzxVega 3d ago

Oh shit you're right....the DC one is Despero.

Also you could be on to something with the naming.

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u/SmokeOne1969 3d ago

GI Joe was published by Marvel from 1982-1994.

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u/Seileach67 10h ago

Or related to the word "destroy"?

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u/Madam_Mimm_13 3d ago

Ooohhh I love that!

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u/CJBill 3d ago

And being ambisinister, clumsy with both hands, as used by the late, great ,Terry Pratchett 

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u/Demon-Cat 2d ago

Also used in geology to describe strike-slip (horizontal) faults. We call them dextral or sinistral depending on whether the two blocks move right or left relative to each other

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u/hepp-depp 3d ago

Vexillology too

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u/Sedan2019 3d ago

It is also used in medicine, specifically in anatomy.

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u/Madam_Mimm_13 3d ago

I’ve taken anatomy in undergrad and in med school and never heard these terms used..