...when do people use it that way? "Sinister" in English has just the one meaning; the sense of "left" is restricted to Latin.

And even there, "left" is a pretty different concept from "left-handed".

On a different note, French for left is "gauche".

A few different English dictionaries include "on the left" as a current definition for sinister.

From American Heritage Dictionary 4th Ed. (En-En)

> sinister

> sin·is·ter (sĭnʹĭ-stər)

> adj.

> 4. On the left side; left.

> From Merriam-Webster's Collegiate 11 (En-En)

> sinister

> a. : of, relating to, or situated to the left or on the left side of something; especially : being or relating to the side of a heraldic shield at the left of the person bearing it

> of, relating to, or situated to the left or on the left side of something; especially : being or relating to the side of a heraldic shield at the left of the person bearing it

The bar sinister? Calling that a sense of the English word would commit you to saying that "vert" is English for "green", "gules" is English for "red", "or" is English for "gold", etc.

Nobody uses it that way — they use it to mean evil/wicked/malevolent, but then said relation will usually gibe "why yes they are very left-handed" so I have stopped using it that way lol

Instead of 'sinister', you could try 'gauche' or 'awkward' as terms for left-handed.