bilateral

adjective

bi·​lat·​er·​al (ˌ)bī-ˈla-t(ə-)rəl How to pronounce bilateral (audio)
1
: affecting reciprocally two nations or parties
a bilateral treaty
a bilateral trade agreement
2
: having two sides
dealing with a bilateral problem
3
biology
a
: of, relating to, or affecting the right and left sides of the body or the right and left members of paired organs
bilateral nephrectomy
b
bilaterally adverb

Did you know?

Since the prefix bi- means "two" in Latin, bilateral means essentially "two-sided". In the days when there were two superpowers, the U.S. and the Soviet Union regularly engaged in bilateral arms negotiations; such negotiations are much less common today. Sometimes bilateral refers to two sides of the same thing. A bilateral hip replacement, for instance, replaces both hip bones in the same operation. And bilateral symmetry (a term often used by biologists) refers to the fact that, in many organisms (such as humans), the left side is basically the mirror image of the right side.

Examples of bilateral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Macron has sought to take a lead in Europe on support for Ukraine, organizing a leaders summit in Paris at which countries agreed on a plan to source much-need ammunition for the Ukrainian military outside the European Union, and signing bilateral defense pacts with Ukraine and Moldova. Samy Adghirni, Fortune Europe, 15 Mar. 2024 But the deteriorating bilateral environment — and the turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic — has seen numbers drop on both sides. Cate Cadell, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 The fetus had bilateral renal agenesis, a condition incompatible with life because the two kidneys never develop. Jessica Van Egeren, Journal Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2024 Due to poor bilateral relations, Chinese audiences have entirely missed the boom in Korean cinema that the rest of Asia has enjoyed. Patrick Frater, Variety, 10 Mar. 2024 Trump would surely intensify economic competition with China, albeit with a focus on cutting the bilateral trade deficit and onshoring critical supply chains. Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 19 Feb. 2024 Ukraine signed last month its first such bilateral agreement with the U.K. Zelenskyy said more deals were in the works with other countries. Geir Moulson and Sylvie Corbet The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 17 Feb. 2024 Last summer, as the United States and Vietnam finalized plans to upgrade the bilateral relationship, the Communist leadership in Hanoi issued a secret directive that aimed to limit outside influences and protect the party's grip on power in the face of growing exposure to the U.S. and its allies. John Ruwitch, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024 For the Nuggets, Murray entered the day listed as questionable and was ruled out two hours beforehand with bilateral tibia inflammation. Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bilateral.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1751, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bilateral was in 1751

Dictionary Entries Near bilateral

Cite this Entry

“Bilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bilateral. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bilateral

adjective
bi·​lat·​er·​al (ˈ)bī-ˈlat-ə-rəl How to pronounce bilateral (audio)
-ˈla-trəl
1
: having or involving two sides or parties
a bilateral treaty
2
: characterized by bilateral symmetry
bilaterally
adverb

Medical Definition

bilateral

adjective
bi·​lat·​er·​al (ˈ)bī-ˈlat-ə-rəl, -ˈla-trəl How to pronounce bilateral (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or affecting the right and left sides of the body or the right and left members of paired organs
bilateral nephrectomy
bilateral tumors of the adrenal glands
2
: having bilateral symmetry
bilateralism noun
bilaterality noun
plural bilateralities

Legal Definition

bilateral

adjective
bi·​lat·​er·​al ˌbī-ˈla-tə-rəl How to pronounce bilateral (audio)
: affecting, obligating, or shared by both parties
bilaterally
-rə-lē
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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