lateral

The definition of lateral is sideways.

(adjective)

An example of lateral is a change in job where you get different responsibilities but do not get promoted.

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See lateral in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

  1. of, at, from, on, or toward the side; sideways: lateral movement
  2. articulated by partial blockage of the air passage with the tongue in such a way that breath escapes along one or both sides of the tongue
  3. Bot. growing on the side of a stem or branch: a lateral bud

Origin: L lateralis < latus (gen. lateris), a side, prob. akin to latus, broad < IE *stlā-to- < base *stel-, to spread out > Arm lain, broad

noun

  1. anything located, done, etc. to the side; lateral part, growth, branch, etc.
  2. Football a short pass parallel to the goal line or in a slightly backward direction
    in full lateral pass
  3. Mining a drift off to the side of and parallel to a main drift
  4. Phonet. a lateral sound, as (l)

transitive verb, intransitive verb

Football to pass (the ball) as a lateral ()

Related Forms:

See lateral in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective
  1. Of, relating to, or situated at or on the side.
  2. Of or constituting a change within an organization or a hierarchy to a position at a similar level, as in salary or responsibility, to the one being left: made a lateral move within the company.
  3. Linguistics Of, relating to, or being a sound produced by breath passing along one or both sides of the tongue.
noun
  1. A lateral part, projection, passage, or appendage.
  2. Football A lateral pass.
  3. Linguistics A lateral sound, such as (l).
verb lat·er·aled also lat·er·alled, lat·er·al·ing also lat·er·al·ling, lat·er·als also lat·er·als
Football
verb, intransitive
To execute a lateral pass.
verb, transitive
To pass (the ball) sideways or backward.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Latin laterālis

Origin: , from latus, later-, side

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Related Forms:

  • latˈer·al·ly adverb

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