lateral thinking

American  

[lat-er-uhl thing-king] / ˈlæt ər əl ˈθɪŋ kɪŋ /

noun

1. an approach to problem solving that involves nontraditional thought processes such as free association of ideas, creative analogy, pattern recognition, intuition, etc..

   This position requires lateral thinking, collaborative skills, and the ability to deal with ambiguity.

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lateral thinking British  

noun

1. a way of solving problems by rejecting traditional methods and employing unorthodox and apparently illogical means

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Etymology

Origin of lateral thinking

Coined in 1967 by Maltese psychologist E. de Bono (1933–2021)

Example Sentences

He tries to measure “lateral thinking and processing speed,” he says, traits that can lead to strong gains.

From The Wall Street Journal

He said the children were taught "maths, English and lateral thinking" in the mornings, then "booted out" to explore the island.

From BBC

"The four contestants were as competitive as anyone I've tested before, and they demonstrated different ways of lateral thinking, as well as some creative interpretations of my rules," he said.

From BBC

This year the public has been challenged to decode the names of UK landmarks, testing skills including codebreaking, maths and lateral thinking.

From BBC

This year's puzzle challenges the public to decode the names of UK landmarks, testing skills like codebreaking, maths and lateral thinking.

From BBC