adj
Uncommon
lateral
LAT-ruhl
Lateral (adj) means relating to, or situated at, the side of something. Example: “The surgeon made a lateral incision along the knee.”
adj
1
Relating to, or situated at, the side of something.
"The surgeon made a lateral incision along the knee."
"A lateral move at work means changing roles without a promotion."
"Fish sense movement through a lateral line running along each side of the body."
2
Unconventional or indirect, especially in thinking.
"Solving the puzzle required some lateral thinking."
"Try some lateral thinking and look at the problem from a completely different angle."
"Her lateral approach to the riddle surprised everyone who had tried the obvious answers."
noun
1
(American football) A sideways pass.
"The running back tossed a lateral to his teammate."
"The quarterback's lateral landed safely in the receiver's hands and the crowd roared."
"A badly thrown lateral can easily lead to a fumble."
verb
1
(American football) To throw a sideways pass.
"He lateraled the ball just before being tackled."
"The receiver decided to lateral to a teammate rather than run into the defenders."
"Players sometimes lateral the ball several times in one desperate final play."
How to use lateral
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo do with the side of something, or a sideways move — literal or in thinking/career terms.
Common pairings
lateral thinking
lateral move
throw a lateral
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Word forms
- Plural
- laterals
- Third person singular
- laterals
- Past tense
- lateraled, lateralled
- Comparative
- more lateral
- Superlative
- most lateral
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The surgeon made a _____ incision along the knee.
Etymology
From Latin laterālis, "belonging to the side", from latus ("the side, flank").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for lateral
feral
literal
general
liberal
funeral
mineral
federal
several
visceral
ephemeral
bilateral
collateral
See all rhymes for lateral →
Frequently asked questions
What does “lateral” mean?
The word “lateral” means relating to, or situated at, the side of something. In plain terms, to do with the side of something, or a sideways move — literal or in thinking/career terms.
How do you pronounce “lateral”?
“Lateral” is pronounced LAT-ruhl (/ˈlætəɹəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “lateral” in a sentence?
Here is “lateral” used in a sentence: “The surgeon made a lateral incision along the knee.”
What is the opposite of “lateral”?
The opposite of “lateral” — its antonyms — are longitudinal and vertical.
What part of speech is “lateral”?
Depending on how it is used, “lateral” can be an adjective, a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “lateral” come from?
The word “lateral” comes from Latin. From Latin laterālis, "belonging to the side", from latus ("the side, flank").
Is “lateral” a common word?
“Lateral” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “lateral” have?
“Lateral” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to, or situated at, the side of something.
What is the difference between lateral and horizontal?
Lateral specifically means relating to or situated at the side of something, while horizontal describes any flat, level orientation regardless of side placement. Something can be horizontal without being lateral, but lateral movement usually implies sideways motion relative to a central axis.
What is a lateral in American football?
A lateral is a sideways pass thrown to a teammate, as opposed to a forward pass. Unlike a forward pass, a lateral can be legally thrown from anywhere on the field and any player who catches it can continue advancing the ball.
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