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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

lateral en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • /ˈlætəɹəl/ (General-American)
  • /ˈlat͡ʃ(ə)ɹəl/ (British, Southern, Standard)
  • (Southern-England) audio
  • [ˈlæɾəɹəɫ] (General-American)
  • /ˈlæt(ə)ɹəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈlat(ə)ɹəl/ (British, Southern, Standard)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin laterālis (“belonging to the side”), from latus (“the side or flank”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).

Meanings

  1. To the side; of or pertaining to the side. ▸ Situated on one side or other of the body or of an organ, especially in the region furthest from the median plane.
    • A fish senses changes in hydrodynamic pressure with its lateral line.
    • The medial side of the knee faces the other knee, while the outer side of the knee is lateral.
  2. To the side; of or pertaining to the side. ▸ Affecting the side or sides of the body, or confined to one side of the body.
    • The “Euphoria” and “Grey’s Anatomy” actor announced on Thursday that he has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. 2025 April 10, Dan Heching, “Eric Dane shares that he has been diagnosed with ALS”, in CNN:
  3. To the side; of or pertaining to the side. ▸ Acting or placed at right angles to a line of motion or strain.
  4. To the side; of or pertaining to the side. ▸ At the same level in hierarchy or rank, especially pertaining to a movement that does not involve a change in rank, status, or level.
    • Instead of a promotion, I opted for a lateral move to a similar position in the marketing department.
    • a lateral transfer
    • lateral hiring
  5. (UK) Non-linear or unconventional, as in, lateral thinking; outside the box.
  6. (of a consonant, especially the English clear l) Pertaining to speech sounds generated by partially blocking the egress of the airstream with the tongue, leaving space on one or both sides of the occlusion for air passage.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
most lateral Degree=Sup lexicographic
more lateral Degree=Cmp lexicographic

Antonyms

longitudinal (antonym(s) of “geometric”) · medial · vertical (antonym(s) of “geometric”)

Deriveds

ipsilateral · controlateral · basilateral · ectolateral · linguolateral · lateral pterygoid plate · laterality · polylateral · right lateral · craniolateral · contralateral · lateral meristem · dorsolateral · lateral flow test · retrolateral · superolateral · sacrolateral · latero- · lateral moraine · rostrolateral · lateral canthus · lateral thinking · lateral gene transfer · acousticolateral · lateral aberration · hemilateral · supralateral · patrilateral · plurilateral · apicolateral · lateralise · palmarolateral · collateral · laterally · lateral fricative · orbitolateral · lateralize · occipitolateral · posterolateral · lateral cuneiform bone · plantarolateral · nonlateral · heterolateral · lateral pectoral nerve · lateral area · lateralist · intermediolateral · laterolateral · quinquelateral · lateral meningocele syndrome · monolateral · lateralward · lateralmost · equilateral · dextrolateral · omnilateral · septilateral · counterlateral · lateral pontine syndrome · unilateral · centrolateral · distolateral · lateral surface · quadrilateral · caudolateral · lateral cricoarytenoid muscle · lateral sulcus · lateral sinus · septolateral · plantolateral · lateralism · lateral scale · lateral thinker · lateral pterygoid muscle · lateral stratum · lateral transfer · frontolateral · fricolateral · sinistrolateral · homolateral · left lateral · matrilateral · octolateral · lateral sclerosis · semilateral · lateraloccipital · mesolateral · lateral mal · bilateral · lateral geniculate nucleus · obliquolateral · ambilateral · ventrolateral · labiolateral · anterodorsolateral · lateral malleolus · sublateral · lateral pterygoid nerve · inferolateral · posteriolateral · proximolateral · lateral mark · midlateral · multilateral · mesiolateral · costolateral · lateral pass · tetralateral · anterolateral · basolateral · ventrosublateral · paralateral · lateral hood · trilateral · lateral rectus · mediolateral · lateral raise · prolateral · latericorn · lateral line · longilateral · axiolateral · isolateral · octavolateral · temporolateral

Relateds

vastus lateralis

Translations (65)

ja(of or pertaining to the side) · fi sivuttainen (of or pertaining to the side) · de lateral (pertaining to certain sounds) · ca lateral (of or pertaining to the side) · cs laterální (pertaining to certain sounds) · sq anshëm (of or pertaining to the side) · hy կողքային (pertaining to certain sounds) · pt lateral (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · it laterale (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · ru латера́льный (pertaining to certain sounds) · pt lateral (of or pertaining to the side) · hy կողմնային (pertaining to certain sounds) · io laterala (of or pertaining to the side) · bg страничен (of or pertaining to the side) · fi lateraalinen (pertaining to certain sounds) · cs laterální (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · sh латералан (of or pertaining to the side) · fi kylki- (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · hu oldalirányú (of or pertaining to the side) · hu oldalsó (of or pertaining to the side) · nv ałtsʼááyol (pertaining to certain sounds) · cs postranní (of or pertaining to the side) · es lateral (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · fi ulko- (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · pl boczny (of or pertaining to the side) · eo lateralo (of or pertaining to the side) · hy կողմնական (pertaining to certain sounds) · de seitlich (of or pertaining to the side) · hu oldal- (of or pertaining to the side) · hu laterális (pertaining to certain sounds) · ga cliathánach (of or pertaining to the side) · ru латера́льный (of or pertaining to the side) · it laterale (of or pertaining to the side) · ar جَانِبِيّ (pertaining to certain sounds) · ro lateral (of or pertaining to the side) · pl lateralny (of or pertaining to the side) · fr latéral (of or pertaining to the side) · gl lateral (of or pertaining to the side) · tl panagiliran (of or pertaining to the side) · ru боково́й (of or pertaining to the side) · de lateral (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · hu oldal- (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · ca lateral (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · ar سَاكِن (pertaining to certain sounds) · cs boční (of or pertaining to the side) · hy կողմնային (of or pertaining to the side) · ro lateral (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · gl lateral (pertaining to certain sounds) · de lateral (of or pertaining to the side) · el έξω (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · fi lateraalinen (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · ro lateral (pertaining to certain sounds) · ja 側面音 (pertaining to certain sounds) · fa کناری (of or pertaining to the side) · es lateral (of or pertaining to the side) · de Seiten- (of or pertaining to the side) · sh бочни (of or pertaining to the side) · fr latéral (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · fi sivu- (of or pertaining to the side) · fa جانبی (of or pertaining to the side) · tl panagiliran (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · ca lateral (pertaining to certain sounds) · ru латера́льный (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · hu laterális (pertaining to the left or right of the body) · ru боково́й (pertaining to the left or right of the body)

lateral en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈlætəɹəl/ (General-American)
  • /ˈlat͡ʃ(ə)ɹəl/ (British, Southern, Standard)
  • (Southern-England) audio
  • [ˈlæɾəɹəɫ] (General-American)
  • /ˈlæt(ə)ɹəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈlat(ə)ɹəl/ (British, Southern, Standard)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin laterālis (“belonging to the side”), from latus (“the side or flank”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).

Meanings

  1. An object, such as a passage or a protrusion, that is situated on the side of something else.
  2. A sound produced through lateral pronunciation (such as /l/ in lateral).
  3. A lateral pass.
  4. An employee hired for a position at the same organizational level or salary as their previous position.
  5. A lateral canal, a canal built alongside an existing stream.
    • Two-thirds of the drownings, or 103, occurred along the back of the canal or lateral. […] 4 drownings per year occurred in reaches of canals or laterals protected by fencing. 1971, Howard S. Latham, James M. Verzuh, Reducing Hazards to People and Animals on Reclamation ..., page 7:
    • […] Canal and laterals, section 4, and the first part of section 5; and Miller Canal and laterals. 1956, United States House Appropriations Committee, Public Works Appropriations for 1957, page 703

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
laterals Number=Plur lexicographic

Coordinates

fricative · approximant · nasal · plosive · trill

Translations (15)

de Seitenlaut (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · fi lateraaliäänne (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · hu laterális hang (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · ro consoană laterală (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · pl boczny (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · pl spółgłoska boczna (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · de Lateral (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · sv lateral (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · ko 설측음 (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · es lateral (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · hu oldalsó hang (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · gl lateral (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · cs boková souhláska (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · cs laterála (sound produced through lateral pronunciation) · de Laterallaut (sound produced through lateral pronunciation)

lateral en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ˈlætəɹəl/ (General-American)
  • /ˈlat͡ʃ(ə)ɹəl/ (British, Southern, Standard)
  • (Southern-England) audio
  • [ˈlæɾəɹəɫ] (General-American)
  • /ˈlæt(ə)ɹəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ˈlat(ə)ɹəl/ (British, Southern, Standard)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin laterālis (“belonging to the side”), from latus (“the side or flank”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).

Meanings

  1. To move (oneself or something) in a lateral direction.
  2. To execute a lateral pass.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
lateraled Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part US lexicographic
lateraled Tense=Past US lexicographic
lateralled Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part UK lexicographic
lateralled Tense=Past UK lexicographic
laterals Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
lateraling Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part US lexicographic
lateralling Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part UK lexicographic

Deriveds

lateraling