unilateral

[yoo-nuh-lat-er-uhl]

adjective

1. relating to, occurring on, or involving one side only.

   unilateral development; a unilateral approach.

2. undertaken or done by or on behalf of one side, party, or faction only; not mutual.

   a unilateral decision; unilateral disarmament.

3. having only one side or surface; without a reverse side or inside, as a Möbius strip.

4. Law.

   1. pertaining to a contract that can be formed only when the party to whom an offer is made renders the performance for which the offeror bargains.

   2. pertaining to a contract in which obligation rests on only one party, as a binding promise to make a gift.

5. Botany.,  having all the parts disposed on one side of an axis, as an inflorescence.

6. through forebears of one sex only, as through either the mother's or father's line.

7. Phonetics.,  (of an l -sound) characterized by passage of air on only one side of the tongue.

unilateral

/ ˌjuːnɪˈlætərəl /

adjective

1. of, having, affecting, or occurring on only one side

2. involving or performed by only one party of several

   unilateral disarmament

3. law (of contracts, obligations, etc) made by, affecting, or binding one party only and not involving the other party in reciprocal obligations

4. botany having or designating parts situated or turned to one side of an axis

5. sociol relating to or tracing the line of descent through ancestors of one sex only Compare bilateral

6. phonetics denoting an (l) sound produced on one side of the tongue only

Other Word Forms

• unilaterality noun
• unilaterally adverb
• unilateralism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unilateral¹

From the New Latin word ūnilaterālis, dating back to 1795–1805. See uni-, lateral

Example Sentences

Instead, “We have long stated that we oppose any unilateral changes to the status quo from either side,” a State Department spokesperson said.

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Speaking at the U.N., da Silva said, “there is no justification for unilateral and arbitrary measures against our institutions and our economy.”

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In response to questions, China’s Foreign Ministry said that it is unaware of the arrangement, opposes “illegal unilateral sanctions,” and that international law allows for normal cooperation between nations.

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In response, Congress passed the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 External link, a sweeping reform that created the modern budget process and explicitly stripped the president of unilateral impoundment power.

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The barrage of unilateral presidential actions has not yet let up.

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