ENGLISH
REFERENCE

left

n. · adj. · adv.
US //ˈɫɛft// UK //lˈɛft// left
  1. 1 the side or direction (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    the side of your body that is toward the west when you face north.

    the side or direction that is the opposite of right; the side on which the heart is typically located.

    Example

    In the UK, people drive on the left side of the road.

    Example

    The museum entrance is located on the left, just past the main fountain in the courtyard.
    • left hand side
  2. 2 political group (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Politics

    people or political parties that support social equality and change.

    the collective group of political parties and individuals who hold liberal, socialist, or progressive views.

    Example

    The political left gained more support during the recent election.

    Example

    The candidate's policies were designed to appeal to the traditional left while maintaining a moderate stance on trade.
    • left wing
    • progressives
    • the right
Show 2 more sensesShow fewer
  1. 3 located on the left (adj.)
    A1 Beginner

    on or towards the side of your body that is not the right.

    pertaining to or located on the side of the body which is toward the west when facing north.

    Example

    She has a small scar on her left hand from a childhood accident.

    Example

    The left wing of the building was added in the nineteenth century to accommodate the growing library collection.
    • sinistral
  2. 4 towards the left (adv.)
    A1 Beginner

    towards the left side.

    in the direction of the left side.

    Example

    Turn left at the next traffic light to find the car park.

    Example

    The pilot banked left to avoid the storm clouds gathering over the valley.
    • leftward
Etymology 1

From Middle English left, luft, leoft, lift, lyft, from Old English left, lyft (“weak, clumsy, foolish”), attested in Old English lyftādl (“palsy, paralysis”), from Proto-Germanic luft-, from lubjaną (“to castrate, lop off”) (compare dialectal English lib, West Frisian lobje, Dutch lubben), from Proto-Indo-European (s)lewp-, (s)lup- (“hanging limply”). Compare Scots left (“left”), North Frisian lefts, leeft, leefts (“left”), West Frisian lofts (“left”), obsolete Dutch lucht, leftsch, lefts, lefs (“left”), dialectal Dutch loof (“weak, worthless”), archaic Low German lucht (“left”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English left, variant of laft (“remaining, left”), from Old English lǣfd, ġelǣfd, past participle of lǣfan (“to leave”). More at leave.

Etymology 3

From Middle English levit, ilevet, y-levyd, from Old English ġelȳfd, ġelȳfed, past participle of Old English ġelȳfan, lȳfan (“to allow, permit”), equivalent to leave (“to give leave to, allow, grant, permit”) + -ed.

Word family
Idioms9 entries

© 2026 English Reference