southpaw
noun
Did you know?
Southpaw is of obscure origin. A popular theory holds that it comes from the onetime position of ballparks in relation to the sun. Supposedly, late 19th-century ballparks were laid out so that the pitcher looked in a westerly direction when facing the batter. The throwing arm of a left-handed pitcher would then be to the south-hence the name southpaw. This theory of its origin is undermined, however, by the fact that the original use of southpaw does not involve baseball at all. Rather, the term was used as early as 1848 to describe, simply, the left hand or a punch or blow given with the left hand. Today, we often use southpaw as a good-natured term for a left-handed person, but the word is sometimes viewed as stigmatizing by left-handed people.
Examples of southpaw in a Sentence
James O'Connell, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
Their 0-6 record against southpaws heading into the game was tied for the worst mark in the majors.
—CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
Their 0-6 record against southpaws before the game was tied for the worst mark in the majors.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Their 0-6 record against southpaws heading into the game was tied for the worst mark in the majors.
—ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for southpaw
Cite this Entry
“Southpaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/southpaw. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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southpaw
noun
