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Webster 1913 Edition


Lateral

Lat′er-al

,
Adj.
[L.
lateralis
, fr.
latus
,
lateris
, side: cf. F.
latéral
.]
1.
Of or pertaining to the sides;
as, the
lateral
walls of a house; the
lateral
branches of a tree.
2.
(Anat.)
Lying at, or extending toward, the side; away from the mesial plane; external; – opposed to
mesial
.
3.
Directed to the side;
as, a
lateral
view of a thing
.
Lateral cleavage
(Crystallog.)
,
cleavage parallel to the lateral planes.
Lateral equation
(Math.)
,
an equation of the first degree.
[Obs.]
Lateral line
(Anat.)
,
in fishes, a line of sensory organs along either side of the body, often marked by a distinct line of color.
Lateral pressure
or
stress
(Mech.)
,
a pressure or stress at right angles to the length, as of a beam or bridge; – distinguished from longitudinal pressure or stress.
Lateral strength
(Mech.)
,
strength which resists a tendency to fracture arising from lateral pressure.
Lateral system
(Bridge Building)
,
the system of horizontal braces (as between two vertical trusses) by which lateral stiffness is secured.

Webster 1828 Edition


Lateral

LAT'ERAL

,
Adj.
[L. lateralis, from latus, a side, and broad, Gr., Eng. flat. The primary sense of these words is to extend, as in late, let.]
1.
Pertaining to the side; as the lateral view of an object.
2.
Proceeding from the side; as the lateral branches of a tree; lateral shoots.

Definition 2024


lateral

lateral

See also: latéral

English

Adjective

lateral (comparative more lateral, superlative most lateral)

  1. To the side; of or pertaining to the side.
    Instead of a promotion, I opted for a lateral move to a similar position in the marketing department.
  2. (anatomy) Pertaining to the left or right of the body; further from the midline.
    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. (linguistics) Pertaining to sounds generated by partially blocking the egress of the airstream with the tip of the tongue touching the alveolar ridge, leaving space on one or both sides of the occlusion for air passage.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Coordinate terms

Translations

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)
  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.

See also

Verb

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

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

Related terms


Catalan

Noun

lateral m, f (plural laterals)

  1. wingback

German

Etymology

In the 20th century, from Latin laterālis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /lateˈʀaːl/
  • Rhymes: -aːl

Adjective

lateral (not comparable)

  1. lateral

Declension


Portuguese

Adjective

lateral m, f (plural laterais, comparable)

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

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 f (plural laterais)

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

Synonyms


Spanish

Adjective

lateral m, f (plural laterales)

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

Noun

lateral m, f (plural laterales)

  1. (soccer) wingback
  2. (linguistics) lateral