laterality

American

[lat-uh-ral-i-tee] / ˌlæt əˈræl ɪ ti /

noun

the use of one hand in preference to the other.
the dominance or superior development of one side of the body or brain.

laterality British

/ ˌlætəˈrælɪtɪ /

noun

psychol the difference in the mental functions controlled by the left and right cerebral hemispheres of the brain

"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

Etymology

Origin of laterality

First recorded in 1640–50; lateral + -ity

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

An overall loss of strength, without laterality, could indicate a global problem with the motor system.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

Similar to two-point discrimination, but assessing laterality of perception, is double simultaneous stimulation.

From Textbooks • Jun. 19, 2013

The researchers point out that the brains of marsupials are different from placentals in several important ways, which make them an important comparison group for the study of laterality and brain asymmetry.

From Scientific American • Jan. 27, 2012

Russian zoologists Andrey Giljov, Karina Karenina, and Yegor Malashichev looked at the literature and realized that an entire group of animals had been almost entirely ignored in the study of laterality: marsupials.

From Scientific American • Jan. 27, 2012

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023