contralateral

English

Alternative forms

• controlateral

Etymology

From contra- +‎ lateral.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌkɑntɹəˈlætəɹəl/
• Rhymes: -ætəɹəl

Adjective

contralateral (not comparable)

1. (anatomy) On the opposite side of the body.

   Synonym: heterolateral

   • 2004, S. Eva Singletary, Advanced Therapy of Breast Disease, page 629:

     Early detection and advances in breast cancer treatment have increased the overall survival and life expectancy of patients with unilateral breast cancer, thereby increasing their risk of subsequently developing contralateral breast cancer.

Antonyms

• ipsilateral

Derived terms

• contralaterality
• contralaterally
• contralateralize

Related terms

• contralesional

Noun

contralateral (plural contralaterals)

1. (especially in plural) The opposite side of the body

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌkontɾalateˈɾal/ [ˌkõn̪.t̪ɾa.la.t̪eˈɾal]
• Rhymes: -al
• Syllabification: con‧tra‧la‧te‧ral

Adjective

contralateral m or f (masculine and feminine plural contralaterales)

1. contralateral

Further reading

• “contralateral”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025