bilateral

adjective

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bi·lat·er·al | \ (ˌ)bī-ˈla-t(ə-)rəl

Definition of bilateral

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 : having bilateral symmetry

Other Words from bilateral Did you know? More Example Sentences Phrases Containing bilateral Learn More About bilateral

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 Mexico’s cooperation with the United States on immigration enforcement remains a central focus of the bilateral relationship. — Washington Post, 4 May 2022 Trade Minister Dan Tehan said at a joint press conference with Goyal in Melbourne on Wednesday that the Australian-Indian bilateral relationship was growing strongly through the Quad. — Rod Mcguirk, ajc, 6 Apr. 2022 But the international conflict, which lasted 11 days and ended with a bilateral cease-fire agreement, was only one of several spikes of antisemitism throughout 2021, according to the ADL. — NBC News, 26 Apr. 2022 Mali's ruling junta announced in December that Russian trainers had arrived as part of a bilateral agreement with Russia. — Carley Petesch, ajc, 5 Apr. 2022 While some countries are sincere about bilateral agreements, that isn’t the only level at which recruitment happens. — Stephanie Nolen, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2022 But the chances of bilateral cooperation on cybercrime have dimmed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has killed more than 1,000 civilians, according to the United Nations, and made Putin an international pariah. — Sean Lyngaas, CNN, 30 Mar. 2022 President Joe Biden begins his day in Brussels at 4:20 a.m. ET, conducting a bilateral meeting with European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen before the leaders give a joint press statement at 4:30 a.m. ET. — Byrick Klein,averi Harper, ABC News, 25 Mar. 2022 On Friday, Biden will travel to Warsaw, Poland, for a bilateral meeting with President Andrzej Duda. — John Bacon, USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bilateral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries Near bilateral

bilander

bilateral

bilateralistic

Statistics for bilateral

Last Updated

13 May 2022

Cite this Entry

“Bilateral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bilateral. Accessed 16 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for bilateral

bilateral

adjective

bi·lat·er·al | \ (ˈ)bī-ˈlat-ə-rəl, -ˈla-trəl

Medical Definition of bilateral

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

Other Words from bilateral

bilateralism \ -ˌiz-əm

\ noun

bilaterality \ (ˈ)bī-ˌlat-ə-ˈral-ət-ē, -ˌla-ˈtral-

\ noun, plural bilateralities

bilaterally \ (ˈ)bī-ˈlat-ə-rə-lē, -ˈla-trə-lē

\ adverb

bilateral

adjective

bi·lat·er·al | \ ˌbī-ˈla-tə-rəl