lateral

[ lat-er-uh l ]

/ ˈlæt ər əl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR lateral ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of or relating to the side; situated at, proceeding from, or directed to a side: a lateral view.

pertaining to or entailing a position, office, etc., that is different but equivalent or roughly equivalent in status, as distinguished from a promotion or demotion: a lateral move.

Phonetics. articulated so that the breath passes on either or both sides of the tongue, as l.

noun

a lateral part or extension, as a branch or shoot.

Mining. a small drift off to the side of a principal one.

Phonetics. a lateral speech sound.

Football. lateral pass.

verb (used without object)

Football. to throw a lateral pass.

to move laterally or sideways: migrating birds lateraling down into Cape May.

verb (used with object)

Football. to throw (the ball) in a lateral pass.

QUIZZES

It’s Round Two Of Our A.C.T. Vocabulary Quiz!

Prepare for the A.C.T. with this quiz featuring real words from the test!

Question 1 of 10

allay

to put (fear, doubt, suspicion, anger, etc.) to rest; calm; quiet.

a quick, sudden attack.

to move or proceed, especially to or from something.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby lateral

latent time, later, later han, later on, laterad, lateral, lateral aberration, lateral ampullar nerve, lateral bud, lateral canal, lateral cartilage of nose

Origin of lateral

1590–1600; < Latin laterālis of the side, equivalent to later- (stem of latus) side + -ālis -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM lateral

lat·er·al·ly, adverbpseu·do·lat·er·al, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for lateral

Lateral Squats - For this variation, you step to the side as your do your squats.
Squats: The Absolutely Incredible Secret to Staying in Shape|Ari Meisel|January 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A lateral move in the offing provides opportunity to trailblaze new frontiers under existing career auspice.
The Stars Predict Your Week|Starsky + Cox|October 9, 2011|DAILY BEAST
But questionable defense and lack of explosiveness and lateral quickness may cause Fredette to "fredette about it."
March Madness Race Wars and Jimmer Fredette|Buzz Bissinger|March 22, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The print of a normal foot shows only the heel, the lateral border of the foot, and the balls and tips of the toes.
Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities--Head--Neck. Sixth Edition.|Alexander Miles

A number of fragments of bone (one lodged in the wall of, but not penetrating, the lateral sinus) and pulped brain were removed.
Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900|George Henry Makins
With a lateral bound he cleared the brushy hedge and was lost to view.
Hunting with the Bow and Arrow|Saxton Pope
Each arm is furnished on both sides with lateral processes so as to assume a feather-like appearance.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia|Various
Softening of the ligaments may permit of lateral mobility, and sometimes partial dislocation occurs.
Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities--Head--Neck. Sixth Edition.|Alexander Miles

British Dictionary definitions for lateral

lateral

/ (ˈlætərəl) /

adjective

of or relating to the side or sidesa lateral blow

phonetics (of a speech sound like l) pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the centre of the alveolar ridge, leaving space on one or both sides for the passage of the airstream

noun

a lateral object, part, passage, or movement

phonetics a lateral speech sound

botany a branch, leaf, or bud that grows out from the side of a stem or trunk

Derived forms of lateral

laterally, adverb

Word Origin for lateral

C17: from Latin laterālis, 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

Medical definitions for lateral

lateral

[ lăt′ər-əl ]

adj.

Relating to or situated at or on the side.

Situated or extending away from the median plane of the body.

Relating to the left or right lateral region of the abdomen.

n.

A lateral part, position, or appendage.

Other words from lateral

lat′er•al•ly adv.

lateral

adjective

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

QUIZZES

Words related to lateral

Words nearby lateral

Origin of lateral

OTHER WORDS FROM lateral

Example sentences from the Web for lateral

British Dictionary definitions for lateral

adjective

noun

Derived forms of lateral

Word Origin for lateral

Medical definitions for lateral

adj.

n.

Other words from lateral