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lateral

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: latéral

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

Adjective

lateral (comparative more lateral, superlative most lateral)

  1. To the side; of or pertaining to the side.
    2. (anatomy, zootomy) Situated on one side or other of the body or of an organ, especially in the region furthest from the median plane.
      Antonym: medial
      The medial side of the knee faces the other knee, while the outer side of the knee is lateral.
      A fish senses changes in hydrodynamic pressure with its lateral line.
    3. (pathology) Affecting the side or sides of the body, or confined to one side of the body.
      • 2025 April 10, Dan Heching, “Eric Dane shares that he has been diagnosed with ALS”, in CNN‎:
        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.
    4. (physics) Acting or placed at right angles to a line of motion or strain.
    5. 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.
      lateral hiring
      a lateral transfer
  2. (UK) Non-linear or unconventional, as in, lateral thinking.
  3. (phonetics, phonology) (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.

Antonyms

Coordinate terms

human anatomy direction adjectivesedit

Derived terms

Translations

pertaining to the left or right of the body

Noun

lateral (plural laterals)

  1. An object, such as a passage or a protrusion, that is situated on the side of something else.
  2. (linguistics) A sound produced through lateral pronunciation (such as /l/ in lateral).
    Coordinate terms: approximant, fricative, nasal, trill, plosive
  3. (American football) A lateral pass.
  4. (business) 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.
    • 1956, United States House Appropriations Committee, Public Works Appropriations for 1957, page 703:
      […] Canal and laterals, section 4, and the first part of section 5; and Miller Canal and laterals.
    • 1971, Howard S. Latham, James M. Verzuh, Reducing Hazards to People and Animals on Reclamation ..., page 7:
      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.

Translations

See also

Verb

lateral (third-person singular simple present laterals, present participle (US) lateraling or (UK) lateralling, simple past and past participle (US) lateraled or (UK) lateralled)

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

Derived terms

References

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Catalan

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin laterālis.

Pronunciation

Adjective

lateral m or f (masculine and feminine plural laterals)

  1. lateral

Derived terms

Noun

lateral m or f by sense (plural laterals)

  1. wingback
  2. (castells) a casteller in the pinya, who stands beside the baix and holds the legs of one of the segons to prevent them from swaying sideways

Further reading

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German

Etymology

In the 20th century, from Latin laterālis.

Pronunciation

Adjective

lateral (strong nominative masculine singular lateraler, not comparable)

  1. lateral

Declension

Positive forms of lateral (uncomparable)
More information number & gender, singular ...

Indonesian

Etymology

Internationalism, borrowed from Dutch lateraal, from French latéral, from Latin laterālis.

Pronunciation

Adjective

latêral (comparative lebih lateral, superlative paling lateral)

  1. lateral:
    1. to the side; of or pertaining to the side
    2. (phonetics, phonology) 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

Noun

latêral (plural lateral-lateral)

  1. lateral:
    1. (anatomy) an object, such as a passage or a protrusion, that is situated on the side of something else
    2. (phonetics, phonology) a sound produced through lateral pronunciation (such as /l/ in lateral)

Further reading

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Interlingua

Adjective

lateral (not comparable)

  1. lateral

Portuguese

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin laterālis. Doublet of ladral, which was inherited.

Pronunciation

 
  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /lɐ.tɨˈɾal/ [lɐ.tɨˈɾaɫ]
    • (Southern Portugal) IPA(key): /lɐ.tɨˈɾa.li/

  • Rhymes: -al, -aw
  • Hyphenation: la‧te‧ral

Adjective

lateral m or f (plural laterais)

  1. lateral (of, pertaining to or located in the side)
  2. of lesser importance

Derived terms

Noun

lateral f (plural laterais)

  1. (sports) sideline (line defining the side boundary of a playing field)
  2. (sports) throw-in (set-piece where the ball is thrown back into play)
  3. (phonetics) lateral (sound in which the airstream proceeds along the sides of the tongue)

Noun

lateral m or f by sense (plural laterais)

  1. (sports) winger (offensive player who plays on either side of the centre)
    Synonym: ala

Further reading

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Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French latéral, from Latin lateralis.

Adjective

lateral m or n (feminine singular laterală, masculine plural laterali, feminine/neuter plural laterale)

  1. lateral

Declension

More information singular, plural ...
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Spanish

Etymology

From Latin laterālis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /lateˈɾal/ [la.t̪eˈɾal]
  • Rhymes: -al
  • Syllabification: la‧te‧ral

Adjective

lateral m or f (masculine and feminine plural laterales)

  1. lateral, to the side
  2. (linguistics) lateral

Derived terms

Noun

lateral m or f by sense (plural laterales)

  1. (linguistics) lateral
  2. (soccer) full-back, fullback (a player who plays on the left or right side of defence)
  3. (soccer) throw-in
    Synonyms: saque lateral, saque de banda

See also

Further reading

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Swedish

Adjective

lateral (not comparable)

  1. to the side, lateral
  2. (linguistics) lateral

Declension

More information Indefinite, positive ...

1 The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
2 Dated or archaic.
3 Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Noun

lateral c

  1. (linguistics) a lateral consonant, a lateral

Declension

More information nominative, genitive ...

Further reading

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