lateral
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈlæt.ə.ɹəl/
ipa: /ˈlæt.ɹəl/
rhymes: -ætəɹəl
Forms: form: more lateral
form: most lateral
Etymology: Borrowed from Latin laterālis (“belonging to the side”), from latus (“the side or flank”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).
Senses: examples: text: The medial side of the knee faces the other knee, while the outer side of the knee is lateral.
text: A fish senses changes in hydrodynamic pressure with its lateral line.
topics: anatomy
biology
medicine
natural-sciences
sciences
zoology
zootomy
glosses: 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.
antonyms: medial
examples: text: 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.
ref: 2025 April 10, Dan Heching, “Eric Dane shares that he has been diagnosed with ALS”, in CNN:
topics: medicine
pathology
sciences
glosses: 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.
topics: natural-sciences
physical-sciences
physics
glosses: To the side; of or pertaining to the side.
Acting or placed at right angles to a line of motion or strain.
examples: text: Instead of a promotion, I opted for a lateral move to a similar position in the marketing department.
text: lateral hiring
text: a lateral transfer
glosses: 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.
glosses: Non-linear or unconventional, as in, lateral thinking.
topics: human-sciences
linguistics
phonetics
phonology
sciences
glosses: (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.
Derived terms: acousticolateral
ambilateral
anterodorsolateral
anterolateral
apicolateral
axiolateral
basolateral
basilateral
bilateral
caudolateral
centrolateral
collateral
contralateral
controlateral
costolateral
counterlateral
craniolateral
dextrolateral
distolateral
dorsolateral
ectolateral
equilateral
fricolateral
frontolateral
hemilateral
heterolateral
homolateral
inferolateral
intermediolateral
ipsilateral
isolateral
labiolateral
lateral aberration
lateral area
lateral canthus
lateral cricoarytenoid muscle
lateral cuneiform bone
lateral flow test
lateral fricative
lateral gene transfer
lateral geniculate nucleus
lateral hood
lateralise
lateralism
lateralist
laterality
lateralize
lateral line
laterally
lateral malleolus
lateral mal
lateral mark
lateral meristem
lateral moraine
lateralmost
lateraloccipital
lateral pass
lateral pectoral nerve
lateral pterygoid muscle
lateral pterygoid nerve
lateral pterygoid plate
lateral raise
lateral rectus
lateral scale
lateral sclerosis
lateral sinus
lateral stratum
lateral sulcus
lateral surface
lateral thinker
lateral thinking
lateral transfer
lateralward
latericorn
latero-
laterolateral
left lateral
linguolateral
longilateral
matrilateral
mediolateral
mesiolateral
mesolateral
midlateral
monolateral
multilateral
nonlateral
obliquolateral
occipitolateral
octavolateral
octolateral
omnilateral
orbitolateral
palmarolateral
paralateral
patrilateral
plantolateral
plantarolateral
plurilateral
polylateral
posterolateral
posteriolateral
prolateral
proximolateral
quadrilateral
quinquelateral
retrolateral
right lateral
rostrolateral
sacrolateral
semilateral
septilateral
septolateral
sinistrolateral
sublateral
superolateral
supralateral
temporolateral
tetralateral
trilateral
unilateral
ventrolateral
ventrosublateral
Related terms: vastus lateralis