bilateral
- 01 C1 Advanced
adj.involving two groups or countries, especially in an official agreement.
adj.involving two parties, groups, or nations, typically in a formal or diplomatic context.
Simple“The two countries signed a bilateral trade agreement to lower taxes on imports.”
In context“The bilateral negotiations stalled when neither delegation was willing to compromise on the sensitive issue of maritime borders.”
UsageCommonly used in political and legal contexts to describe treaties or talks.
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.having two sides or parts that are the same.
adj.relating to or having two sides; specifically having symmetry where the left and right sides are mirror images.
Simple“Most animals, including humans, have bilateral symmetry.”
In context“The biologist noted that the specimen exhibited perfect bilateral symmetry, with identical markings on both the left and right wings.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
adj.tracing your family history through both your mother's and father's side.
adj.relating to a system of kinship where descent is traced through both the maternal and paternal lines.
Simple“In many modern societies, people follow a bilateral system of family history.”
In context“The researcher argued that bilateral descent patterns provided a more flexible social structure than strictly patrilineal systems.”
Antonymsunilineal - 04 C1 Advanced
n.a formal meeting between two people or groups.
n.a formal discussion or meeting held between two parties, especially in diplomacy.
Simple“The president held a bilateral with the prime minister before the main summit.”
In context“Following the general assembly, the two leaders retired to a private room for a bilateral to discuss regional security.”
Synonyms
Usage bilateral relations
“However, Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine prompted Japan to impose sanctions on personnel and entities linked to Moscow, souring bilateral relations.”
“Justice minister Liisa Pakosta told the BBC that Estonia would not rent jail cells to other countries while it was housing criminals from Sweden in its half-empty Tartu prison under a bilateral deal.”
From bi- + lateral.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.