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
Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 9 Feb. 2026
Still, teams covet having such exciting southpaws in their pipeline.
—Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Gore, a 26-year-old southpaw, was an All-Star last season for the Washington Nationals and has exhibited stretches of brilliance in his young career.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
While first baseman Ben Rice is expected to play more against southpaws, Grisham, a fellow portside swinger, struggled against them last season.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Southpaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/southpaw. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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southpaw
noun
