collateral

[ kuh-lat-er-uhl ]

/ kəˈlæt ər əl /

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See synonyms for collateral on Thesaurus.com

noun

Finance. property or other assets pledged by a borrower as security for the repayment of a loan: He gave the bank stocks and bonds as collateral for the money he borrowed.

Anatomy.

a subordinate or accessory part.
a side branch, as of a blood vessel or nerve.
collateral circulation.

a relative descended from the same stock, but in a different line.

adjective

accompanying; auxiliary: He received a scholarship and collateral aid.

additional; confirming: collateral evidence;collateral security.

secured by collateral: a collateral loan.

aside from the main subject, course, etc.; secondary: These accomplishments are merely collateral to his primary goal.

descended from the same stock, but in a different line; not lineal: A cousin is a collateral relative.

pertaining to those so descended.

situated at the side: a collateral wing of a house.

situated or running side by side; parallel: collateral ridges of mountains.

Botany. standing side by side.

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Origin of collateral

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin collaterālis, equivalent to col- a variant of com- + Latin laterālis “on the side of the body”; see col-¹ lateral

OTHER WORDS FROM collateral

col·lat·er·al·i·ty

[koh-lat-uh-ral-i-tee], /koʊˌlæt əˈræl ɪ ti/, col·lat·er·al·ness, nouncol·lat·er·al·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use collateral in a sentence

Traipsing the Biennale and the numerous collaterals has been at once ho-hum and encouraging.
My Biennale Favorites|Anthony Haden-Guest|June 8, 2009|DAILY BEAST
He had already used these as collaterals, in the borrowing of small sums at short time, to meet emergencies in his operations.
Sevenoaks|J. G. Holland
His notes, too, secured by fraudulent collaterals, were approaching a second and third maturity.
Sevenoaks|J. G. Holland
The stocks and bonds, based simply upon ideas, became worthless, the collaterals became dust and ashes.
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 9 (of 12)|Robert G. Ingersoll

Of these, at least one hundred thousand dollars were on demand, with stock collaterals.
The Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman, Complete|William T. Sherman
They were all drawn on 'clean credits,' without 'collaterals' (which were not yet in vogue), and at six months' sight.
The 'Fan Kwae' at Canton Before Treaty Days 1825-1844|William C. Hunter

British Dictionary definitions for collateral

collateral

/ (kɒˈlætərəl, kə-) /

noun

security pledged for the repayment of a loan
(as modifier)a collateral loan

a person, animal, or plant descended from the same ancestor as another but through a different line

adjective

situated or running side by side

descended from a common ancestor but through different lines

serving to support or corroborate

aside from the main issue

uniting in tendency

Derived forms of collateral

collaterally, adverb

Word Origin for collateral

C14: from Medieval Latin collaterālis, from Latin com- together + laterālis of the side, from latus side

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for collateral

collateral

Property or its equivalent that a debtor deposits with a creditor to guarantee repayment of a debt.

collateral

Origin of collateral

OTHER WORDS FROM collateral

Words related to collateral

How to use collateral in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for collateral

Derived forms of collateral

Word Origin for collateral

Cultural definitions for collateral