Main Entry: ¹col·lat·er·al

Pronunciation: \kə-ˈla-t(ə-)rəl\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin collateralis, from Latin com- + lateralis lateral

Date: 14th century

1 a : accompanying as secondary or subordinate : concomitant <digress into collateral matters> b : indirect c : serving to support or reinforce : ancillary
2 : belonging to the same ancestral stock but not in a direct line of descent — compare lineal 3a
3 : parallel, coordinate, or corresponding in position, order, time, or significance <collateral states like Athens and Sparta>
4 a : of, relating to, or being collateral used as security (as for payment of a debt or performance of a contract) b : secured by collateral

— col·lat·er·al·i·ty \-ˌla-tə-ˈra-lə-tē\ noun

— col·lat·er·al·ly \-ˈla-t(ə-)rə-lē\ adverb