- The term “textadexterous” is a blending of “text message” and “dexterous”. Dexterous mean skillful in the use of the hands. The word “textadexterous” describes one who is particularly skillful at text messaging. It implies that they can effortlessly text with their fingers. It can mean that the person can text quickly, text without looking at what they are texting, successfully do other things while texting, or anything that implies skill in texting. This term is used in groups in which text messaging is popular, particularly among younger people.
textadexterous
adjective; blending
skilled at text messaging
Etymology : Textadexterous is a blending of text message and dexterous. Text (text message) + a (linker) + dexterous ‘skillful in use of the hands’ (from Latin). Text, meaning ‘word of anything written’, came into English in1369 from the Old French word texte, from Medieval Latin textus meaning ‘the Scriptures, text, treatise’, from Late Latin meaning ‘written account, content, characters used in a document’, from Latin meaning ‘style or texture of a work’, from the verb texere, meaning ‘to weave’. Message, meaning ‘communication transmitted via a messenger’, came into English in 1297 from Old French, from Medieval Latin missaticum, from Latin missus, which is the present participle of mittere, meaning ‘to send’. The compound of text and message has come to mean a message sent via cell phones. Dexterous is an adjective form of the Latin word dexter, meaning ‘on the right side’ or ‘skillful’. The word dexterous has been broadened in English to mean ‘skillful with the use of hands’, rather than just referring to the right hand.
Source : “I wish I were textadexterous like him so I could text and take notes at the same time.” –Friend, October 2008
Last modified: 5 December 2008