lateral

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Located at, coming from, or moving toward the side of something, not the front, back or middle.

   Grammar: Usually comes before the noun it describes: a lateral view, lateral movement.

   Patterns

   • lateral movement
   • lateral view of something

   The doctor took a lateral x-ray of his knee.

   The crab moves with a lateral scuttle across the sand.

   Lateral supports kept the tall shelf from tipping.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounbusiness

   Describing a change of job or position to one of equal rank, rather than a promotion or demotion.

   Grammar: Almost always appears in the phrase lateral move or lateral transfer.

   Patterns

   • a lateral move
   • a lateral transfer to something

   She took a lateral move to the marketing team to learn new skills.

   The transfer was lateral, with the same salary and title.

   He rejected the lateral offer because it offered no growth.

3. 3adjectivebefore a noun

   Using unusual, indirect or creative methods to approach a problem instead of the obvious step-by-step route.

   Grammar: Mostly seen in lateral thinking, where it describes a way of reasoning.

   Patterns

   • lateral thinking
   • a lateral approach to something

   Puzzles like this reward lateral thinking.

   A lateral solution to the parking shortage was to share spaces with the church.

   The team took a lateral approach to the budget problem.

4. 4nouncountablesportAmerican

   In American football, a pass thrown sideways or backward to a teammate.

   Grammar: A countable noun: he threw a lateral, two laterals.

   Patterns

   • throw a lateral
   • a lateral to someone

   The receiver tossed a lateral to the running back.

   The final play of the game was a risky lateral.

   Her lateral nearly hit the ground.

Word forms

Common combinations

lateral movement

The machine allows only lateral movement along the track.

lateral thinking

Lateral thinking helped the engineers find a cheaper design.

lateral move

A lateral move can broaden your experience.

lateral view

The lateral view of the skull shows the jaw clearly.

lateral pass

The coach practiced the lateral pass all week.

Synonyms and how they differ

sideways

Sideways is the everyday word for direction of movement, while lateral sounds more technical or professional.

side

Side as a modifier is plainer and informal, as in a side door, but lateral is used in anatomy and engineering.

horizontal

Horizontal describes level orientation, whereas lateral describes position or movement toward the side, which may not be level.

Opposites

Word family

laterally adverb

toward or from the side

bilateral adjective

involving two sides or two parties

unilateral adjective

done by one side only

quadrilateral noun

a shape with four sides

Commonly confused: lateral or literal?

Practice

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