Lateral
/ˈlætərəl/
Definitions
3 meaningsSituated at or extending to the side.
/ˈlætərəl/
Relating to the sides.
The lateral view of the X-ray showed the injury.
💡 Simply: Imagine a line going from the side of something. That's lateral! Like a sideways pass in sports or a muscle on the side of your body. If you think about your body, your left side is lateral to your right side!
👶 For kids: Side-ways or on the side.
More Examples
We're planning a lateral move in the office.
The car swerved and had a lateral impact with the other vehicle.
How It's Used
"The lateral muscles support the spine."
"A lateral pass in American football moves the ball sideways."
"The building has a lateral extension to the north."
A position or direction to the side.
/ˈlætərəl/
A position or area that is away from the center.
The company is exploring different laterals of the market.
💡 Simply: It's like a side road or a detour—a lateral is a way of getting around or to something that's not straight ahead. Think of an alternate route.
👶 For kids: The side of something, not the middle or front.
More Examples
The lateral offered by the company didn't make any difference.
He has been trying to make the lateral between two departments.
How It's Used
"The city planned for a lateral of new shopping centers."
To move something to the side.
/ˈlætərəl/
To move or position something to the side.
The company decided to lateral the project to another department.
💡 Simply: To move or shift to the side. In a corporate setup, this means moving something to the side (or a different department, etc.)
👶 For kids: To put something on the side.
More Examples
The project was lateralized to a specialized team.
He lateralized the responsibility to his colleague.
How It's Used
"The company lateralized the project."
Idioms & expressions
lateral thinking
Solving problems through an indirect and creative approach.
"The company encouraged lateral thinking to find innovative solutions."
lateral flow test
A type of test that can be used to detect a substance (typically COVID-19) in a sample.
"They used the lateral flow test to detect COVID-19."
From Latin *latus* meaning 'side'. It entered English in the 16th century.
The term 'lateral' gained prominence in the 18th century within anatomical and scientific contexts, expanding in the 20th century to broader applications.
Memory tip
Think of a 'ladder' extending sideways.
Word Origin
"side"