摘要：“Sinister”源自拉丁语“sinister”，意为“左边的”或“不吉利的”。在古罗马文化中，左边常被认为是不祥或不利的，与占卜中的负面预兆相关，相对的是“dexter”（右边，吉利的）。这个词可能追溯到更早的印欧语根“*sen-”（分开、侧边）。在14世

sinister

英 ['sɪnɪstə(r)] 美 ['sɪnɪstər]

adj.邪恶的；不祥的；灾难性的；左边的

“Sinister”源自拉丁语“sinister”，意为“左边的”或“不吉利的”。在古罗马文化中，左边常被认为是不祥或不利的，与占卜中的负面预兆相关，相对的是“dexter”（右边，吉利的）。这个词可能追溯到更早的印欧语根“*sen-”（分开、侧边）。在14世纪进入英语后，“sinister”逐渐从“左边”演变为“邪恶的”或“不祥的”，尤其用于描述恶意或威胁的行为。其现代用法保留了这种不吉利或险恶的语感，常与阴谋或危险相关。

◉外刊例句

① 《The New York Times》 (2023年10月27日)

The whistleblower revealed a sinister plot to manipulate the election results.

举报人揭露了一个操纵选举结果的阴险阴谋。

② 《The Guardian》 (2024年11月8日)

A sinister atmosphere hung over the town after the unexplained disappearances.

在不明原因的失踪事件后，小镇笼罩着一种不祥的气氛。

◉经典名著

① 《德古拉》（Dracula）——布兰姆·斯托克 (1897年)

The castle’s sinister silhouette loomed against the moonlit sky, chilling all who approached.

城堡不祥的轮廓在月光天空下若隐若现，令靠近者不寒而栗。

② 《呼啸山庄》（Wuthering Heights）——艾米莉·勃朗特 (1847年)

Heathcliff’s sinister glare revealed a heart consumed by vengeance.

希斯克利夫阴险的目光暴露了他被复仇吞噬的心。

◉Usage Examples

(1) He showed his sinister motive at last.

(2) The author's laconic prose manages to be both dexterous and sinister.

(3) Maston was oppressed by sinister forebodings.

(4) Events began to take on a more sinister aspect.

(1) 他终于露出了他那邪恶的用心。

(2) 这位作者简洁的文字做到既洗练又有邪恶的暗示。

(3) 梅斯顿感到自己被一种不祥的预感紧紧地抓住了。

(4) 事情开始呈现较为不祥的征兆。

◉Usage Notes

People who are left-handed might feel unlucky having to use a desk designed for right-handers, but there probably wasn't any sinister, or evil, intent behind the design. Or was there?

In the 15th century, when the word sinister came into use in English, people who were left-handed were thought to be bad luck or even evil. In his play Hamlet, Shakespeare wrote of the villain holding a human skull in his sinister — i.e., left — hand. It would seem to be sinister, or wicked, enough to see a human skull in the right hand, not to mention unlucky for the person missing a head in the first place.

1. [ADJ-GRADED 能被表示程度的副词或介词词组修饰的形容词]邪恶的；有害的；不祥的 Something that is sinister seems evil or harmful.

There was something sinister about him that she found disturbing.

他身上有种邪恶的东西让她很不安。

...a sinister and frightening place.

一个邪恶而恐怖的地方

...the illegal and sinister trade in stolen cultural artefacts.

非法而且邪恶的被盗文物买卖

来源：学无用的英语