of or relating to the side; situated at, proceeding from, or directed to a side: a lateral view.
pertaining to or entailing a position, office, etc., that is different but equivalent or roughly equivalent in status, as distinguished from a promotion or demotion: a lateral move.
Phonetics. articulated so that the breath passes on either or both sides of the tongue, as l.
noun
a lateral part or extension, as a branch or shoot.
Mining. a small drift off to the side of a principal one.
Phonetics. a lateral speech sound.
Football. lateral pass.
verb (used without object)
Football. to throw a lateral pass.
to move laterally or sideways: migrating birds lateraling down into Cape May.
verb (used with object)
Football. to throw (the ball) in a lateral pass.
Origin of lateral
1590–1600; <Latin laterālis of the side, equivalent to later- (stem of latus) side + -ālis-al1
OTHER WORDS FROM lateral
lat·er·al·ly,adverbpseu·do·lat·er·al,adjective
Words nearby lateral
latent tetany, latent time, late-onset diabetes, later, laterad, lateral, lateral aberration, lateral ampullar nerve, lateral bud, lateral canal, lateral cartilage of nose
These lateral areas assess whether behaviors conform to social norms, and exert inhibitory control over inappropriate or maladaptive behavior.
The Neurology of Flow States - Issue 91: The Amazing Brain|Heather Berlin|October 14, 2020|Nautilus
As a result, roots grow longer, lateral roots develop, and more root hairs sprout.
Junk Food Is Bad For Plants, Too - Issue 90: Something Green|Anne Biklé & David R. Montgomery|September 23, 2020|Nautilus
Social pressure, technological innovations, and economic trends are all closing in on its main product, so it’s trying to make a lateral move into another bloated, polluting industry.
Big Oil’s hopes are pinned on plastics. It won’t end well.|David Roberts|September 4, 2020|Vox
Meanwhile, he said, several dozen of the department’s more proactive-minded officers responded to the new rules and paperwork by simply deciding to “lateral out” to a job in another police department.
What Can Mayors Do When the Police Stop Doing Their Jobs?|by Alec MacGillis|September 3, 2020|ProPublica
On July 18, responding to Musk’s call for job applicants who wanted to help “solve” brain and spinal injuries, a Twitter user asked if Neuralink could also help disabled people living with injuries, autism and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS.
Elon Musk’s brain company plans a big reveal on Friday. Here’s what we already know|Verne Kopytoff|August 27, 2020|Fortune
Lateral Squats - For this variation, you step to the side as your do your squats.
Squats: The Absolutely Incredible Secret to Staying in Shape|Ari Meisel|January 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A lateral move in the offing provides opportunity to trailblaze new frontiers under existing career auspice.
The Stars Predict Your Week|Starsky + Cox|October 9, 2011|DAILY BEAST
But questionable defense and lack of explosiveness and lateral quickness may cause Fredette to "fredette about it."
March Madness Race Wars and Jimmer Fredette|Buzz Bissinger|March 22, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The print of a normal foot shows only the heel, the lateral border of the foot, and the balls and tips of the toes.
Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities--Head--Neck. Sixth Edition.|Alexander Miles
A number of fragments of bone (one lodged in the wall of, but not penetrating, the lateral sinus) and pulped brain were removed.
Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900|George Henry Makins
With a lateral bound he cleared the brushy hedge and was lost to view.
Hunting with the Bow and Arrow|Saxton Pope
Each arm is furnished on both sides with lateral processes so as to assume a feather-like appearance.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia|Various
Softening of the ligaments may permit of lateral mobility, and sometimes partial dislocation occurs.
Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities--Head--Neck. Sixth Edition.|Alexander Miles
British Dictionary definitions for lateral
lateral
/ (ˈlætərəl) /
adjective
of or relating to the side or sidesa lateral blow
phonetics(of a speech sound like l) pronounced with the tip of the tongue touching the centre of the alveolar ridge, leaving space on one or both sides for the passage of the airstream
noun
a lateral object, part, passage, or movement
phoneticsa lateral speech sound
botanya branch, leaf, or bud that grows out from the side of a stem or trunk