lat·er·al / ˈlatərəl; ˈlatrəl/ • adj. of, at, toward, or from the side or sides: the plant takes up water through its lateral roots. ∎ Anat. & Zool. situated on one side or other of the body or of an organ, esp. in the region furthest from the median plane. The opposite of medial. ∎  Med. (of a disease or condition) affecting the side or sides of the body, or confined to one side of the body. ∎  Physics acting or placed at right angles to the line of motion or of strain. ∎  Phonet. (of a consonant, esp. l, or its articulation) formed by or involving partial closure of the air passage by the tongue, which is so placed as to allow the breath to flow on one or both sides of the point of contact.• n. 1. a side part of something, esp. a shoot or branch growing out from the side of a stem.2. Phonet. a lateral consonant.3. Football (also lateral pass) a pass thrown either sideways or backward from the position of the passer.• v. [tr.] throw (a football) in a sideways or backward direction: he tried to lateral a kick return but fumbled. ∎  [intr.] throw a lateral: he got the ball back on a handoff and then lateraled to a halfback.DERIVATIVES: lat·er·al·ly adv.

LATERAL. A term in PHONETICS for a vocal sound in which air gets round central blockage by the tongue by escaping round the sides. The only English lateral is /l/ as in large, hollow, barrel; WELSH has /ł/ as in Llanberis, Llangollen. See L-SOUNDS.

lateral (lat-er-ăl) adj.
1. situated at or relating to the side of an organ or organism.

2. (in anatomy) relating to the region or parts of the body that are furthest from the median plane.

3. (in radiology) in the sagittal plane.

lateral pert. to or at the side. XVI. — L. laterālis, f. latus, later- side; see -AL1.