lateral
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.relating to the side of something, rather than the front, back, or middle.
adj.relating to, situated at, or extending from the side. Often used in anatomical or technical descriptions to distinguish from medial or vertical planes.
Simple“The bird has lateral stripes running along the side of its body.”
In context“The surgeon made a lateral incision to avoid damaging the central nerves located along the patient's spine.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.solving problems by using your imagination and looking at them from a new or unusual angle.
adj.referring to a method of problem-solving that avoids traditional step-by-step logic in favour of unconventional or creative associations.
Simple“We need some lateral thinking to solve this tricky puzzle.”
In context“The consultant encouraged lateral thinking, suggesting that the team abandon their linear approach to market expansion in favour of more radical alternatives.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
adj.describes a speech sound made by letting air escape around the sides of your tongue.
adj.pertaining to an articulation where the airflow is obstructed centrally by the tongue but allowed to escape along one or both sides.
Simple“The 'l' sound in 'leaf' is a lateral consonant.”
In context“Phoneticists categorise the English clear 'l' as an alveolar lateral approximant because the tongue tip touches the roof of the mouth while air flows past the sides.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.a person who is hired for a new job at the same level as their old one.
n.a professional hire recruited from another organisation for a role at an equivalent level of seniority or compensation.
Simple“The law firm brought in two new laterals to strengthen their tax department.”
In context“The company prefers lateral hires for senior management roles as they bring immediate expertise without the need for extensive internal training.”
Synonymspeer hireAntonyms - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a pass in American football or rugby that goes sideways or backwards.
n.a pass thrown in a direction parallel to the goal line or towards the passer's own goal.
Simple“The quarterback threw a quick lateral to the running back.”
In context“The play failed when the lateral was fumbled, allowing the opposing team to recover the ball deep in the red zone.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 06 C1 Advanced
v.to move yourself or an object to the side.
v.to move or transition in a sideways direction; frequently used in corporate contexts to describe moving to an equivalent role.
Simple“She decided to lateral into a different department to learn new skills.”
In context“Rather than seeking a promotion, he chose to lateral into the research division to broaden his technical portfolio.”
Synonymsshiftsidestep
“They showed significant deterioration in several measures, including elevator and aileron control, landing accuracy and vertical and lateral deviation on approach.”
“That might seem like a jarring lateral pivot, but if you consider how these world models are being developed, it’s a natural next step.”
Borrowed from Latin laterālis (“belonging to the side”), from latus (“the side or flank”) + -ālis (“-al”, adjectival suffix).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.